The Cole Train just had a serious case of tunnel vision. Aaron Judge hit the IL with a calf strain before the New York Yankees‘ game on Friday; Gerrit Cole, that night’s starting pitcher, had no idea his right fielder was missing until the second inning.
“I think I asked Gary [Sanchez] in the second inning where Aaron was,” Cole told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “Some teammate I am, I guess, huh? Geez.”
Cole’s mistake is understandable, considering he was busy prepping ply his trade against the Boston Red Sox when the rest of the world learned of Judge’s misfortune.