Gerrit Cole has heard his fair share of criticism since his Wild Card Game flop at Fenway Park a year ago.
Too home-run prone. Overpaid. Not a playoff ace.
Many of those criticisms have come from his home fans. But after pitching in front of those fans for the first time in a Yankee uniform in Tuesday night’s ALDS opener, the reception was the exact opposite.
Cole, tabbed as the team’s game one starter, pitched like the ace Yankee fans hoped for him to be when he signed his record contract, allowing just one run over 6.1 innings of work, walking off the mound at Yankee Stadium with the lead, and to the sound of over 49,000 roaring fans, acknowledging the righty for an ace-like performance.
“It was very special for me,” Cole said after a moment of reflection. “It was very special.
“The game’s not over, you left traffic, so it’s not the most comfortable time to acknowledge the crowd, but I certainly felt it and appreciated it. I thought they were in every pitch tonight.”
That traffic was left stranded as the Yankee bullpen silenced the Guardians for 2.2 innings, taking a 1-0 series lead and reaffirming the team’s decision to believe in Cole, who reminded his home fans that he has the stuff to be the playoff ace they crave.
The crowd responded in kind on Tuesday night.
“What a wonderful experience to have them behind us,” Cole said.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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