LOS ANGELES — The Yankees have not considered, much less discussed, the possibility of starting Gerrit Cole on three days rest in Game 4 of the World Series if they are facing elimination, sources say.
As SNY reported at the beginning of the series, the Yankees mapped out their rotation as Cole, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil. On Saturday afternoon, manager Aaron Boone publicly named Gil as his Game 4 starter.
But that was before the Yankees trailed 2-0 in the series. In the aftermath of the Game 2 loss to the Dodgers, sources said that Cole on short rest if facing elimination had still not been broached. Those sources did not say that there was zero chance of that happening, but as of now, it’s not at all on the radar.
Cole has started on three days rest just once in his career, in Game 5 of the 2020 American League Division Series against Tampa Bay. He pitched 5.1 effective innings, allowing one run and striking out nine.
In other Yankees rotation news, Rodon told SNY — after he was asked — that he was pitching on Saturday night with a blister on one of his fingers. Rodon allowed four runs in 3.1 innings in the Game 2 loss.
He downplayed the issue.
“I’ve had it before,” he said, though adding that this was the first time he’s had a blister this year. “Not a big deal.”
Rodon said that the blister would not impact his availability later in the World Series.
