Gerrit Cole suffers regret pitch as Yankees fall to Dodgers in MLB clash

Gerrit Cole’s Yankees drop game to Dodgers after one costly pitch

On 17 July 2026, Gerrit Cole watched his Yankees fall 4-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium after a single pitch turned the game. Cole pitched seven strong frames but couldn’t escape the fifth when a hanging slider ended up in the middle of the plate, leading to a two-run blast by Mookie Betts that broke a 1-1 tie.

What happened in the fifth?

The Dodgers tied the game 1-1 in the third on a solo homer by Freddie Freeman off Cole, but the Yankees starter kept New York in it through six. Then in the fifth, Cole hung a 1-1 slider to Betts, who drove it 420 feet to left-center. The blast chased Cole from the game and shifted momentum to the Dodgers, who added two more runs in the sixth to seal the win.

Why it matters for Gerrit Cole

This loss drops Cole to 10-6 on the season and raises questions about his command on the road. The Yankees remain in the wild-card hunt, but every start now carries extra weight. Cole’s slider has been his signature pitch, yet Betts’ swing on the mistake showed why even elite pitchers can’t afford one bad offering.

What comes next for Cole and the Yankees

The Yankees head to San Diego for a three-game set with the Padres starting Friday. Cole is scheduled to pitch Game 2, aiming to bounce back after a rough patch that’s seen him allow 10 earned runs over his last two starts. The rotation spot stays tight, and another shaky outing could push the Yankees to look elsewhere for innings down the stretch.