Homer-happy Mets rock Gerrit Cole as Yankees ace lacks velocity in second start
NEW YORK — With his fastball lacking and the Mets collectively swinging a hot bat, Gerrit Cole surrendered four home runs in his second start of the season.
Mark Vientos led the way in the Mets’ 9-7 win at Citi Field on Tuesday, taking the American League’s reigning Cy Young winner deep in the second and fourth innings. Both solo homers came on fastballs that were under 93 mph.
Meanwhile, ex-Yankee Harrison Bader hit his own solo homer on a 93.2-mph fastball in the second inning. Brandon Nimmo added a two-run shot in the fourth, though that came on a change-up.
Cole, who is still building up after being sidelined by elbow inflammation, totaled four innings, seven hits, six earned runs, four walks and 72 pitches.
Tuesday marked just the second time Cole allowed four home runs in a major league game. The last instance came on June 9, 2022, when the Twins hit five balls over the fence in Minnesota.
Meanwhile, Cole’s four-seamer dropped off significantly following an explosive first inning.
The ace hit 97 multiple times and maxed out at 98.9 mph while walking three batters, allowing a Tyrone Taylor RBI single and totaling 28 pitches in the opening frame. However, Cole didn’t crack 96 mph after that.
His heater averaged 95.4 mph on Tuesday.
Cole averaged 95 mph and never hit 98 in his season debut against the Orioles on June 19. However, his velocity didn’t experience such a noticeable drop-off in that game, in which he tallied four innings, three hits, two earned runs, one walk, five strikeouts and 62 pitches.
Last season, Cole’s fastball averaged 96.7 mph.
Once Cole exited the game, Phil Bickford was charged for three runs against his former team. Two of those were earned; Gleyber Torres made his 12th error of the season.
That figure leads all second basemen.
Four of the Yankees’ runs came on an Aaron Judge grand slam in the eighth inning. He now leads the majors with 29 home runs.
The Yankees’ captain also had an RBI double in the seventh.
Juan Soto also homered, ripping a solo homer in the fifth. Austin Wells plated an additional run with an eighth-inning single.
With Cole’s second start out of the way, the Yankees will look for a rebound from Luis Gil on Wednesday as they try to split the year’s first Subway Series.
Gil, an All-Star candidate, posted a dud against the Orioles on June 20, permitting seven earned runs over 1 1/3 innings. He has a 2.77 ERA this season.
