Watch: Yankees’ Gerrit Cole explodes from dugout after Blue Jays’ Alek Manoah plunks Aaron Judge
Entering play Sunday, the New York Yankees had lost three straight and 25 of their last 37 games.
So, tensions are understandably high in the Bronx.
During the finale of a four-game set with the division rival Toronto Blue Jays, that tension boiled over for Yankees' starter Gerrit Cole, who wasn't even in the game.
In the bottom half of the fifth inning, with the Yankees up 2-1 and runners on second and third, Toronto starter Alek Manoah plunked slugger Aaron Judge with a pitch up high.
Judge, clearly displeased, exchanged words with Manoah as he made his way to first. An enraged Cole flew onto the field from the dugout to confront Manoah. After some milling around from both sides, cooler eventually heads prevailed.
Perhaps Cole was still feeling the sting from his most recent outing. The Blue Jays got to Cole on Saturday for five hits and four earned runs through six innings in a 5-2 Toronto win.
Cole has taken the loss in four of his last five starts and hasn't earned a win since July 17 against the Boston Red Sox.
The 31-year-old is 9-6 with a 3.41 ERA in 25 starts for the Yankees this season.
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