Cole (1-1, 2.00) draws Slade Cecconi (3-5, 4.92) in the middle game of this three-game set, a near-instant rematch from last week's series in the Bronx. Cole's last outing — 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 hits, just 2 strikeouts in a loss to this same Cleveland lineup — was easily his worst of the year and the only real blemish on a 2.00 ERA. Cecconi was the other guy on the mound that night and walked away with a no-decision after going 6 strong (1 ER, 4 K).
The Yankees grabbed Game 1 of this set 7-5 on Monday and are now 39-26 with three wins in their last five. They're doing it short-handed too — Aaron Judge is on the IL with a rib stress fracture that's expected to keep him out 4-to-6 weeks, with Spencer Jones up from Triple-A to fill some of the outfield reps. Giancarlo Stanton and Jasson Dominguez are still working back, and Austin Wells is dealing with headaches and headed for an MRI.
- Day-To-DayPayton Henry C — The Yankees signed Henry to a minor-league contract Monday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
- Day-To-DayEric Reyzelman SP — no
- Day-To-DayTravis MacGregor SP — MacGregor underwent Tommy John surgery last September and will miss the entire 2019 season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILAustin Wells C — Wells (headaches) is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday, per MLB.com.
- 10-Day-ILAaron Judge RF — The Yankees announced Thursday that Judge has a stress fracture of his first rib on his right side and will be sidelined for 4-to-6 weeks before being re-evaluated, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJasson Dominguez LF — Dominguez (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment Friday, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILGiancarlo Stanton DH — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that Stanton (calf) will not be activated from the 10-day injured list during the team's June 8-14 road trip, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMax Fried SP — Fried (elbow) is expected to begin throwing from 120 feet and will also undergo more imaging during the upcoming week, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
- Day-To-DayCarlos Hernandez RP — Hernandez (shoulder) began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Friday.
- 15-Day-ILErik Sabrowski RP — Sabrowski (elbow) underwent an MRI on Tuesday which confirmed inflammation but no structural damage, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILGabriel Arias SS — no
Cleveland has lost 4 of their last 5, including a 10-0 punch in the mouth from Texas on Saturday and Monday's series opener. They're 37-31 and getting Game 1 starter Cecconi back on short turnaround feels less like a strategic flex and more like the Guardians needing length out of a guy who just gave them length. He's the most reliable arm available right now even with a near-5.00 ERA.
Pinnacle has the Yankees at -135 with the run line at +123 (Yankees -1.5), which feels rich for a banged-up offense facing a starter who just held them to 1 run. The total sits at 8.5 with the under at -104 — a small lean toward a low-scoring game, which tracks with Cole's body of work even after the dud.
The angle here is whether Cole actually adjusts. He generated only 2 punchouts on 83 pitches last time, which is not the Gerrit Cole experience anyone signed up for. If he leans on the slider and keeps the ball in the yard, this is a Yankees game. If Cleveland squares him up again, the Guardians have a real chance to flip this series on a Tuesday night with nobody really paying attention.