Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees are headed to the ALCS after eliminating the Kansas City Royals in what the Yankees’ ace described as one of the tougher series in the MLB playoffs.
Reflecting on the Royals, Cole praised their performance, calling them an extraordinary team that proved their strength throughout the hard-fought four-game series.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, the Royals are a damn good ballclub. That was a really tough series,” Cole said. He also spoke about the challenge of facing Bobby Witt Jr., admitting there was some bad luck when he went up against the Royals’ star.
It’s worth noting that the Yankees won just one game at home against the Royals and lost Game 2. It wasn’t until they played in Kansas City that they managed to close out the series and advance to the next round of the playoffs.
Gerrit Cole’s Performance in the Series
Cole started two of the four games. In Game 1, he pitched 5 innings, allowing a home run, 7 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks. However, in the final game of the series, he was more in control, going 7 innings while allowing just 6 hits and 1 run.
What’s Next for the Yankees
Cole is likely to be the Game 1 starter for the American League Championship Series, which will kick off at Yankee Stadium on October 14. The team is awaiting the result of the series between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians to determine their opponent.