New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole isn’t sure what caused the cramping in his right calf that made him leave his last game, but he said on Tuesday that he’s not feeling sore and has no issues.
“I really don’t have a great answer for it, but it feels good today,” Cole said.
Before his last warm-up pitch before the seventh inning on Monday night, with the Yankees ahead 7-1 against Texas, Cole stretched his right leg and signaled to the bench. Manager Aaron Boone and director of sports medicine Michael Shuck came out to check on him.
“Yeah, definitely a big sigh of relief, especially when you’re running out there not knowing what’s going on and fearing the worst,” Boone said before Tuesday’s game. “To see that it was just some cramping, yeah, feel like we dodged a bullet there.”
The Yankees have set their pitching rotation for this weekend’s series at the Cubs, with Cole scheduled to pitch on Sunday.
Right-handers Luis Gil (lower back strain) and Clarke Schmidt (right lat strain) will return from the injured list to start the first two games in Chicago.
Nestor Cortes will pitch after either Gil or Schmidt and will then rejoin the rotation next week against the Boston Red Sox.
Cole (6-3), who struck out nine in six innings against Texas, mentioned that the cramp didn’t seem to improve and he didn’t think it was the right time to keep trying to work it out. He also noted that he had applesauce, plenty of water, and two electrolyte drinks before the game.
