Gerrit Cole is a whiny little brat, but still comes out on top against Kirby and the Mariners

Some things I'll never understand. Like Gerrit Cole. Jose Caballero, ever since being called up, has messed with pitchers' timing by getting in the box early in the pitch clock but not looking up until 8-9 seconds are left. This is well within his rights, as he needs to address the pitcher by 8 seconds. It's gamesmanship, and there isn't anything wrong with it. Well, unless you're the aforementioned manchild of Gerrit Cole. Even Yankees fans think the dude is a bit weird.

Cole wasn't a fan of Cabby dictating the pace of the bat (you know like he is allowed to do in the rules). After pushing the clock to its limit, he was down 0-2 and stepped out for his lone timeout of the AB. This has become common practice in 2023, as most hitters step out once they have their first two-strike count. It's your one step-out, allows you a second to take a breath, and possibly breaks the pitcher's rhythm.

Gerrit Cole is having none of that. Most frusturated pitchers would throw behind a hitter, or even just plunk him. The plunking is more a 90s thing, so some chin music or a pitch behind Cabby would've been the guess here. Instead, we got this...

Ummm. I don't know how to tell you this, Mr. Cole, but all you are doing is messing with your arm and letting Cabby win. I know that Cole ended up getting the upper hand by striking him out, but he comes out as the massive loser here. He looked like a brat, showed how easy it is to get into his head, and then walked off like a moron shaking his finger at the Mariners dugout. It makes sense when you are Dikembe and have swatted somebody. Not when you nearly throw a ball into the stands as a pitcher.

Alas, the Yankees got the win, 3-1, behind a great outing by Cole. Kirby started rough, but settled in, allowing just those three early runs across 7 innings. The Mariners send La Piedra to the mound in game 2, and look to even up the series with the Yankees and get back to .500.