New York Yankees @ Colorado Rockies: Gerrit Cole vs. Chase Anderson

While the Rockies stomped on the Yankees’ pitching for seven runs on Friday, the Bombers returned the favor last night, plating six runs in the first two innings of an eventual 6-3 victory. In the rubber match of the series, the Yankees will look to take advantage of the favorable offensive environment in Colorado and provide some momentum for a starved offense and new hitting coach Sean Casey.

Gerrit Cole gets the nod on the mound in this one. The Yankees ace, coming off his first All-Star start (a perfect inning), will have to overcome the altitude to pick up where he left off at the end of the first half. Since the start of June, Cole has pitched to a 2.70/2.98 ERA/FIP, and in two career starts at Coors, he’s tossed 12.1 innings with 12 Ks against three walks and four earned runs. Those outings came in 2016 and 2018, for what it’s worth.

He’ll be opposite Chase Anderson, who pitched to a 2.72 ERA through his first 36.1 innings this year with 25 Ks against eight walks, but has allowed 27 earned runs in 13.1 innings since. He’s yielded eight homers and nine walks with just 12 strikeouts in that time.

Hoping the latter Anderson shows up today will be former Rockie DJ LeMahieu, who’s hitting cleanup to start a game for the first time since May on the heels of a three-hit, two-double performance last night. He’ll also be manning the hot corner in Josh Donaldson’s stead after the Yankees placed the former MVP on the IL with a calf strain today (recalling Oswald Peraza to take his place on the active roster, though he’s still en route to the ballpark). Giancarlo Stanton, who’s homered in each of the first two games this half, is hitting second but DHing, giving way to Oswaldo Cabrera — who’ll hit eighth — in right field for the youngster’s first start since the break. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will man the other outfield corner for the second time in three games; he’ll hit sixth.

The Rockies’ big-ticket signing of a couple offseasons ago, Kris Bryant, will hit second and play right field. He’s had a down year, slashing just .258/.336/.380, and he hasn’t hit much better since missing nearly all of June with a foot/heel injury. He brings the most experience against Cole to the Rockies’ lineup, with 21 at-bats against the right-hander and a .670 OPS. Harold Castro, the only other player in the starting nine with double-digit at-bats against Cole, has gone just 1-12; he’s hitting seventh and playing second base.

How to watch

Location: Coors Field — Denver, Colorado

First pitch: 3:10 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES Network – NYY / SportsNet-RM - COL

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9, WADO 1280

Online stream: MLB.tv

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