Gerrit Cole returned to form at perfect time for Yankees in pivotal Orioles matchup

The late-inning dustup between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles after Heston Kjerstad was hit in the head by a pitch garnered all of the headlines surrounding New York's 4-1 win over Baltimore. That's understandable, considering how Orioles manager Brandon Hyde went ballistic on the Yankees dugout, causing the benches to clear.

The ninth-inning drama obscured the importance of Yankees ace Gerrit Cole's excellent start. The veteran ace came through for manager Aaron Boone when his team needed him most.

The outing won't go down as one of Cole's greatest individual efforts of all time, but it may serve as a turning point for his team's 2024 season. He kept the powerful Orioles lineup off-balance for six innings by striking out seven and only giving up a single run. Getting through six innings was particularly important to New York's bullpen given the amount of innings they've been required to eat in recent weeks.

Gerrit Coles shines for Yankees in pivotal game vs. first-place Orioles

Cole eclipsed the 100-pitch mark for the first time this season, which bodes well for his ability to go late in games moving forward. That's particularly important given the uncertainty surrounding Luis Gil's ability to continue as a starter for the full season. The Yankees' young righty is headed into uncharted territory in terms of innings pitched after struggling with injuries in previous seasons.

Of course, Cole is more than an innings eater for New York. He's the bona fide ace that the Yankees count on to give them an advantage in any series. Shutting down Baltimore's offense even when he didn't possess dominant stuff serves as a preview for what Cole can do in the postseason. As much as New York would like to win the AL East during the regular season, their campaign will ultimately be judged on how far they progress in the playoffs.

The struggles of fellow highly-paid starter Carlos Rodon in recent weeks only make it more crucial for Cole to be at his best. If the postseason started today the three-man rotation would likely consist of Cole, Gil and Marcus Stroman. That makes it very likely that New York will face a disadvantage in terms of the starting pitching matchup after Cole takes his turn.

Any World Series winner needs plenty of things to go right before they are able to win it all in October. For the Yankees, a fit and firing Cole is an absolute must if they're going to achieve their postseason goals. His most recent start against the Orioles was a big step in the right direction.