The Cole Train Rides For a While

The Yankees' offense has been really bad lately, but their pitching has been excellent. And when Gerrit Cole is on the mound, I'm willing to trust the arm rather than worry about what the bats are doing.

Cole has allowed just four total runs over his last four starts and hasn't surrendered more than three runs in any of his last eight games. That's the kind of consistency I want to see when I'm playing a pitcher outs prop.

The bigger reason I like this number, though, is the workload.

Cole has completed at least six innings in six of his last seven starts. In the one start where he didn't reach six full innings, he went 5⅔ innings.

That's essentially the number we're looking for here.

The line is 17½ outs, meaning we need Cole to record at least 18 outs. That's six complete innings. Considering he's reached that mark in six of his last seven starts, I like where we're sitting.

I'm not asking Cole to dominate for seven or eight innings. I'm asking him to do what he's been doing consistently: get through six innings.

The Yankees' offense may be struggling, but that actually makes me like the idea of leaning on Cole's workload even more. If he keeps the game close and continues pitching efficiently, there's little reason for New York to pull its ace early.

For me, this is a pretty straightforward pitcher-prop play.

The play: Gerrit Cole over 17½ outs.

The recent workload is too good to ignore, and Cole has been consistently giving the Yankees six-plus innings. I'll trust the ace to get us through six once again and cash the over.

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