Umpire’s antsy pitch clock decision only unleashed the kraken inside Gerrit Cole

The New York Yankees began the season as one of the best teams in Major League Baseball. The combination of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge provided plenty of offensive firepower, and the team was only expected to improve with the return of Gerrit Cole, who would join a pitching rotation that ranked among the best in the majors.

Instead, the reigning American League Cy Young winner struggled in his return from a season-long elbow injury. He became the first pitcher in Yankees history to allow more than four home runs and four walks without striking out a hitter.

The Yankees began to collapse for the third consecutive year. They limped into the All-Star break after winning just nine of their last 28 games.

Gerrit Cole puts together strong showing after pitch clock mishap

It wasn't easy for Cole to hit his stride after his return from injury, but he stormed out of the All-Star break. Cole found his rhythm — perhaps with some help from the umpire — during the Yankees' 6-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The game began with home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott giving Cole a pitch clock violation at the top of the second inning after the pitcher didn't throw his final warm-up pitch until there were 20 seconds left on the clock. Cole wasn't too happy with the decision at the time, and it suggested the Yankees ace would be in for a tough game.

“I didn’t agree with [the call] and I did lose my composure,’’ Cole said. “Quinn didn’t and I’m thankful he kept me in the game. I was fired up. I was desperately trying to calm back down and then spiked a fastball in the dirt and used the whole clock.”

Cole's first pitch of the inning to Josh Lowe went right into the dirt, but he managed to find his composure and pitched the best game of his season. Cole kept the Rays to one run in six innings while striking out a season-high eight batters.

“I had a little bit of everything working,” Cole said. “A few deep counts after the third, you know, I’d like to get those outs a little more efficiently, but for the most part, it was pretty good tonight.”

Things appear to be looking up for Cole after his bumpy start to the season. He had his best start since coming off of the injured list during last Friday's over the Baltimore Orioles, when he allowed just one run while throwing 106 pitches.

In his last 12 innings pitched, Cole has allowed just two runs while striking out 15 batters. He has a 1.05 ERA in his last two games, and he has lowered his ERA from 5.40 to 4.60 on the season.

After missing the first two-and-a-half months with his elbow injury, Cole has struck out 34 batters across 29 innings while posting a 4.60 ERA.

Anthony Volpe gave the Yankees a much-needed 4-1 lead by driving in three runs with a two-out double down left field in the third inning. Judge went 2-for-4 and closed out the scoring by bringing Soto home with an RBI single in the sixth inning.

As long as Cole keeps playing how he has in the last two games, the Yankees should be just fine in the second half of the season.