Gerrit Cole was a man of few words when responding to Josh Naylor after Sunday’s playoff game.
Cole’s New York Yankees beat Naylor’s Cleveland Guardians 4-2 in Game 4 of their ALDS on Sunday to send things to a deciding Game 5. Cole went seven strong innings, allowing both runs while picking up his second win of the series.
In the fourth, he missed his spot on a 2-2 pitch and served up a meatball for Naylor, who drilled a solo home run to right-center field. Naylor taunted Cole after the home run with a baby-rocking gesture.
Naturally, after the Yankees won the game, Cole was asked about the Naylor celebration. The ace said he saw it and gave a three-word response, according to Yankees reporter Bryan Hoch.
“Yeah. Whatever. Cute,” Cole said.
That’s a fun way of taking the high road.
Cole didn’t get sucked into Naylor’s trash talk and instead is content letting the scoreboard do the talking. The scoreboard says the Yankees and Guardians are tied 2-2 in the series, and Cole is 2-0.
Game 5 is scheduled for Monday night in the Bronx between Jameson Taillon and Aaron Civale.
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