Gerrit Cole struck out 11 over seven shutout frames on 14 Jul 2026, but the Yankees still needed Domingo Germán’s bullpen to hold on for a 9–2 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Cole allowed just three hits and one walk while fanning nearly a third of the Mariners’ lineup. His 11 punch-outs tied a season high and gave New York a cushion heading to the eighth. Yet the bullpen’s late wobble turned a comfortable lead into a late scare.

What happened in the seventh

Cole worked around a leadoff single in the first and never looked back. He struck out Cal Raleigh looking to end the frame, then fanned Julio Rodríguez on a 97-mph fastball in the third. By the seventh, Seattle’s lineup had whiffed 11 times against Cole, including three in the sixth alone.

The right-hander mixed a mid-90s heater with a sharp slider and a looping curveball that baffled the Mariners all night. His fastball averaged 96.2 mph and topped out at 99 mph, per Statcast.

Domingo’s implosion steals Cole’s thunder

With a 7–0 lead in the eighth, Germán gave up a leadoff single to Dylan Moore. Two batters later, Eugenio Suárez lined a two-run homer to left-center, cutting the deficit to 7–2. Germán then walked two in a row before Carlos Santana’s RBI single made it 7–3.

The Yankees’ bullpen coughed up three runs in the eighth, but the offense had already buried Seattle early. Cole’s outing kept New York’s rotation on track after a rough patch in June.

Why it matters for Gerrit Cole

Cole’s start boosted his ERA to 2.87 and lowered his WHIP to 1.03. Over his last five outings, he owns a 1.42 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 32 innings. The Yankees now sit 53–38, tied for the AL wild-card spot.

Manager Aaron Boone called Cole’s night “exactly what we need” after Germán’s shaky finish. Cole has now allowed two or fewer runs in 12 of his last 15 starts, keeping New York in the playoff hunt.

What comes next for the Yankees

The Yankees play the Red Sox in a four-game set starting 15 Jul 2026 at Fenway Park. Cole is slated to start the series opener, with Germán available in relief if needed.

Seattle drops to 41–50 and has lost six of its last seven. The Mariners’ rotation, once a strength, has struggled since the All-Star break.