After a disappointing start to the season for the Nationals, A.J. Cole was sold to the Yankees on April 24, 2018. Since the purchase, the 26-year-old right-handed pitcher has been a pleasant surprise in the Bronx.
A.J. Cole is 3-1 on the season in 15 games between the Nationals and the Yankees. He holds a 5.06 FIP, a 5.10 ERA, and a 1.33 WHIP. With the Nationals, he pitched 10.1 innings with a 10.51 FIP, 13.06 ERA, and a 2.13 WHIP. With the Yankees, he holds a 2.19 FIP, a 0.92 ERA, and a 0.915 WHIP.
During his time in the Bronx, he has only allowed 12 hits and 2 earned runs in 19.2 innings pitched. Cole also has 25 strikeouts compared to only 6 walks.
What is the reason for this sudden effectiveness? It could be Cole’s newfound sinking fastball.
According to FanGraphs, Cole has used a fastball 49.9% of the time, a slider 26.5% of the time, a curveball13.8% of the time, a changeup 6.9% of the time, and a sinker 2.9% of the time throughout his career.
Although the sinker factors into his career averages, he did not use this pitch prior to the 2018 season. His 13.3 sinker percentage this season accounts for his entire career use of that pitch. This season, his fastball and changeup percentages have also decreased while his slider and curveball percentages have increased.
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As Cole did not have success in Washington, his 2.19 FIP and 0.915 WHIP this far in New York are noteworthy regardless of the sample size..
Cole had a somewhat surprising moment on June 19th when he appeared in a game against the Seattle Mariners. This game marked his first appearance since May 28th. Even though he had 21 days in between appearances, he was a healthy member of the 25-man roster the entire time.
The Yankees must see something in Cole after keeping him on the MLB roster without a defined role. As the Yankees have a knack for churning out great relievers (Jonathan Holder and Chad Green are two recent examples), will Cole be the next unexpected mainstay in their bullpen?
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A.J. Cole has grown into his role with the Yankees. Now, can he impact their postseason run?