Yanks could use sweet homecoming for Gerrit Cole vs. Angels

After what manager Aaron Boone called an "ugly" loss in Monday's series opener, the New York Yankees will turn to right-hander Gerrit Cole in Game 2 of the three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif.

Cole (7-7, 3.19 ERA), a former star at nearby Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High School, will be celebrating the five-year anniversary of one of his finest pitching performances for New York.

Cole allowed one run on four hits over seven innings in a 4-1 victory over Los Angeles at Angel Stadium on Sept. 1, 2021, striking out 15 batters, including Shohei Ohtani three times. That is his most strikeouts in a game with New York and one off his career high while with the Houston Astros at Arizona on May 4, 2018.

"Complete domination," Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge described Cole's effort against the Angels in 2021.

Cole, who turns 36 on Sept. 8, is 8-2 with a 2.48 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings over 12 career starts against Los Angeles. That includes a 4-1 mark with a 2.41 ERA in six starts at Angel Stadium, about a 15-minute drive from Orange Lutheran.

This will be Cole's 18th start since returning on May 22 from Tommy John surgery, which cost him the entire 2025 season. He went 3-2 with a 2.35 ERA in five August starts with 32 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings.

He is coming off a 5-1 loss to the Astros on Thursday when he allowed three runs on six hits, including a two-run homer to Christian Walker, over six innings while striking out five. That snapped a five-start streak where he allowed two runs or fewer.

Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (4-5, 6.03) also is on the comeback trail after missing almost 22 months with right arm and shoulder injuries. He will make the 16th start for Los Angeles (53-85), which snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 10-1 win in Monday's series opener against New York (78-60).

Rodriguez had a solid 2.93 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings in five starts in August.

He is 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in three career starts against the Yankees.

Rodriguez gave up one run on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings in his last start on Wednesday against Cleveland and left with a 3-1 lead. However, the Guardians scored twice in the ninth to pull out a 4-3 victory.

"It feels like I'm getting back to my normal self," Rodriguez told the Orange County Register. "Just being in the zone with the heater, being able to throw it pretty much in any count. Off-speed's getting a little bit better. There's some things we need to work on still but starting to feel a little bit like my old self, which is good."

The Yankees managed just six hits, including a Spencer Jones homer, and committed three errors in Monday's loss. Rookie right-hander Walbert Urena picked up his ninth win for the Angels, allowing one run on five hits while tying his career high with eight strikeouts. Teammate Vaughn Grissom went 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs.

"Obviously an ugly one for us tonight," Boone said. "It's just a great reminder that in this league you've got to play well or you'll get it handed to you. We've got to bounce back tomorrow and come out and get one back."

--Field Level Media