There aren’t too many better locales for a family reunion than Yankee Stadium, which will host a kid-filled bash Thursday.
Gerrit Cole’s oldest son, Caden, will be surrounded by cousins. Cole’s brother-in-law is Brandon Crawford, who will be the Giants’ Opening Day shortstop and is the father of four children.
“I think they’re probably going to have a room where they can go crazy and play their own baseball games in the suite,” Cole said Tuesday ahead of his Game 1 start.
Cole will have to wait until after the game to join the party.
The Yankees need him now and have rarely needed the right-hander more.
About to embark on his fourth season of a nine-year contract, Cole will get another Yankees Opening Day start then hand the baton to Clarke Schmidt, who might be passing off to Jhony Brito.
Such is the state of a Yankees rotation that has lost three starters before April arrives.
Gerrit ColeGetty ImagesFrankie Montas went down first, undergoing shoulder surgery in February that will keep him sidelined until at least August.
Carlos Rodon fell next, suffering a mild forearm strain that will force him onto the injured list as the season begins.
Luis Severino also will open on the IL with a strained right lat that likely will prevent him from making three or four starts.
So behind Cole will be a couple of unproven pieces before Nestor Cortes and Domingo German — who did not even enter camp with a surefire rotation gig — are expected to pitch Games 4 and 5, respectively.
Cole said the thinning rotation does not add to his own burden, which is sizable as the ace of the Yankees.
“We’re fortunate to have depth, and we’re fortunate to have guys that I think are going to put us in a position to win some games,” Cole said in Washington before Wednesday’s off day. “Is it the one we penciled in before the season? No. But are the guys ready to step up? Yeah. … At any given point during the season, situations like this come about and it takes everybody on your 40-man roster to contribute. This is our first opportunity to experience that.”
This will be Cole’s fourth Opening Day start with the Yankees, who have won two of the first three.
Cole might not have reached a peak he touched with Houston, but he has been the workhorse the Yankees envisioned since signing his $324 million pact.
Since 2020, he has only required one trip to the injured list — a brief stint on the COVID-IL in 2021 — and has pitched to a 3.28 ERA in 75 regular-season starts.
The 32-year-old had a strong spring in which he built up to 5 ²/₃ innings and 84 pitches in his final outing.
“I think it was quality execution overall,” said Cole, who will be facing Giants ace Logan Webb, a friend. “Relative to the other springs, the other progressions, mostly every single time we took the ball, we hit our goals.”
As the rotation teeters around him, Cole will be where he always has been with the Yankees: on the mound.
His family, including his nieces and nephews, will be watching together. His brother-in-law will be in the batter’s box.
Crawford is 6-for-20 (.300) against Cole in his career, though they have not faced off since 2018.
“We had a few meetings over the years and they’ve been fun. He’s obviously a world-class competitor and the best Giants shortstop of all time,” Cole said. “It’s a special moment for our family and one that we’ll remember for a long time.”
