Gerrit Cole Faces Dodgers' Roki Sasaki in Key MLB Matchup

Gerrit Cole faces off against the Los Angeles Dodgers' Roki Sasaki in a pivotal matchup at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.

What happened?

The Yankees announced their lineup for the game, with Gerrit Cole (3-4, 4.04 ERA) set to oppose Roki Sasaki (3-5, 5.33) in a 7:05 p.m. start. This marks Sasaki's first appearance at the Stadium.

Why it matters for Gerrit Cole

Gerrit Cole's last outing against the Dodgers is still etched in the memories of Yankees fans. In the fifth inning of 2024 World Series Game 5, Cole rolled along, but a series of pinstriped misfortune and Dodger tenacity turned the game around. The Dodgers went on to win the series in two straight games.

What comes next?

The Yankees' lineup for the game features Trent Grisham in center field, Ben Rice at designated hitter, and Paul Goldschmidt at first base. Cody Bellinger will play left field, while Jasson Dominguez takes the field in right. Jose Caballero will be at shortstop, with Anthony Volpe on the bench.

In regular season play, Mookie Betts is a .429 hitter (6-for-14) against Gerrit Cole, while Freddie Freeman is at .350 (7-for-20). Shohei Ohtani has a .200 average (4-for-20) against Cole, with one home run.

The game is set to start at 7:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium, with Gerrit Cole looking to bounce back from a tough outing against the Dodgers in the 2024 World Series.