The Blue Jays are off to a great start to the 2022 MLB season. The team took two out of three in the opening series against the Rangers before splitting the first two games of a four-game series with the Yankees.
But the Toronto offense faces its toughest test yet as the Yankees send their ace Gerrit Cole to the mound on Wednesday night.
The 31-year-old is regarded as one of the top pitchers in baseball, finishing the top-5 of AL Cy Young voting the last four consecutive seasons.
Cole has pitched fairly well when facing Toronto in his career. He has squared off against the Blue Jays nine times during his 10-year tenure in the MLB, compiling a 5-1 record with a 3.33 ERA. He faced the Blue Jays four times last year, recording two wins, one loss and two no decisions.
The Blue Jays look to hand Cole his second loss in his career against the club tonight when the two play at Yankee Stadium.
MORE: 17 overreactions to start of 2022 MLB season
How to watch the Blue Jays-Yankees game
- Date: Wednesday, April 13
- Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
The third game of the Blue Jays-Yankees series is set for Wednesday with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.
Toronto is countering with Jose Berrios on the mound to face Cole. The right-hander was roughed up on Blue Jays' Opening Day, recording just one out as he gave up four earned runs on three hits while walking two and hitting another before he was pulled in the first inning.
What Blue Jays have hit well against Gerrit Cole?
There aren't a ton of Blue Jays who have large sample sizes against Cole that have hit him well. Those that have faced him numerous times and done well are Teoscar Hernandez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Hernandez is 5-for-15 in his career against Cole, owning a .333 batting average. He owns a home run, three singles and a double and a walk over Cole, to go along with four strikeouts.
Guerrero Jr. is 5-for-18 when facing the Yankees pitcher, equivalent to a .278 batting average. He has a double, four singles and two walks against Cole while striking out twice. The Blue Jays first baseman has yet to homer off the pitcher.
George Springer, Alejandro Kirk, Bradley Zimmer and Santiago Espinal have done well against Cole in a limited capacity.
Springer and Cole were teammates in 2018 and 2019 so they never faced each other those years. The center fielder has gone 4-for-6 against Cole with two doubles and a strikeout. Kirk has also faced Cole just six times, going an even 3-for-6 against him with two doubles, a single and a strikeout.
Zimmer is 1-for-2 lifetime against the Yankees ace with a single and a strikeout. Espinal, who made his MLB debut last year, went 2-for-3 against the pitcher, registering a single, a double and a strikeout.
What Blue Jays have not hit well against Gerrit Cole?
Like most batters in the MLB, there are a number of Toronto players that have struggled in the box against the four-time All-Star. Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. have more than 20 plate appearances with Cole, but none are batting over .200.
Chapman owns the best batting average of the three, sitting at .200. He's gone 4-for-20 while facing Cole, with three doubles, a home run, two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Bichette is 4-for-21 all-time, with a double, a home run and five strikeouts, coming out to an average of .190. Gurriel Jr. is just 2-for-19 with five strikeouts and a walk.
Other Blue Jays that have faced Cole are Cavan Biggio and Raimel Tapia. Despite the fact that Biggio has just three hits in 15 at-bats against Cole, he has two home runs and a double. Tapia is hitless in two plate appearances against the right-hander, with one strikeout.
