It took one pitch to know what kind of night it was going to be for Gerrit Cole.
Cole’s 96-mph fastball to kick off the Yankees postseason was popped to the right field warning track, where Juan Soto made the catch.
The next two batters hit the ball even harder — all three with an exit velocity above 102 miles per hour — but Aaron Judge made two catches, including a long run to the left-center-field wall.
And so began a high-wire act where Cole consistently lived on the edge and looked nothing like an ace in a 6-5 victory Saturday against the Royals in Game 1 of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium.
Cole allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out four in five-plus innings.
He left with a 4-3 lead and a runner on first base despite throwing just 80 pitches, and Tim Hill gave up the go-ahead two-run single.
Yes, the Yankees felt it best to remove their $36 million-per-year Cy Young Award winner in favor of a left-hander who is making $740,000 this season and was cut in June by the White Sox on their way to an MLB-record 121 losses.
It’s fair to say that the Yankees were expecting more.
“As great of a career as he’s had and as great a Yankee as he’s been in his career so far, look back and he’s had a number of gut check moments of truth, and he’s answered that — like all the time,” manager Aaron Boone said pregame. “But the biggest thing right now is I feel like he’s throwing the ball incredibly well, he’s throwing the ball like our ace, and we’re excited to give him the ball.”
The second inning picked up where the first left off, with the first three batters reaching base and only Juan Soto’s outfield assist to home plate temporarily keeping a run off the board.
The Royals scored first on a sacrifice fly.
When the Yankees claimed a 2-1 lead, Cole gave it right back, allowing a two-run home run to MJ Melendez in the fourth.
An old nemesis — and former Cole teammate — with rival Astros ties, Yuli Gurriel drew an 11-pitch walk just in front of Melendez’s homer.
The surest sign that Cole didn’t have good stuff was that manager Aaron Boone had Clay Holmes — the former struggling closer — warming up in the bullpen with two outs and two on in the fourth, after Melendez’s homer.
It was a bit of a surprise after Cole was dominant — one run allowed in 15 ²/₃ innings — over his final two starts of the regular season, responding to the criticism he received after intentionally walking Rafael Devers in what was seen as a give-up move against a hitter with his number.
Cole entered the game with a 3.49 ERA in seven career playoff appearances for the Yankees. Saturday was the fourth time that he failed to make it through six innings.
He could pitch again on full rest in Game 4 on Thursday.