Yankees' Gerrit Cole tries to avoid pitching to Red Sox's Rafael Devers, still can't get him out

Gerrit Cole continues to be haunted by Rafael Devers.

The New York Yankees ace has had difficulty getting the Boston Red Sox third baseman out during the past four seasons. Going into Saturday's game, Devers was hitting .333 with a .974 OPS and nine home runs against the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.

Cole didn't give Devers much to hit in their first two matchups. In Devers' first plate appearance, he was hit by a cutter that went too far inside. That probably wasn't what Cole intended. (Red Sox manager Alex Cora disagreed, saying after the game that he thought Cole intentionally hit Devers.)

However, in the fourth inning, the right-hander avoided Devers completely, opting to intentionally walk him with the bases empty. Cole apparently didn't want to risk giving up a 1–0 lead by pitching to his nemesis, despite not allowing a hit to that point. Yet Devers ended up scoring on a double by Masataka Yoshida. Cole then gave up two more runs on a single from Wilyer Abreu.

The intentional walk was very unusual for Cole, who hadn't given a hitter a free pass since 2017. And he'd only done so six times previously, according to the Boston Herald. Yet Cole said it was always part of the plan if he got Jarren Duran out before facing Devers.

The third time Cole faced Devers on Saturday, he had no choice but to pitch to the Boston slugger in the fifth inning because the bases were loaded. Cole made what appeared to be a good pitch, throwing a curveball low and away. But Devers lined it to center field for a two-run single and a 5–1 Red Sox lead. Boston went on to win, 7–1.

That increased Devers' batting average against Cole to .350 (14-for-40) with 19 RBI. Perhaps Cole can take some consolation in not serving up his 10th home run to a hitter that has dominated their matchup.

If there was any doubt that Cole sees Devers in his nightmares, that was surely addressed by how quickly the Yankees pitcher answered a question a reporter posed to him Wednesday. For Hispanic Heritage Media Day, Cole was asked which Latin hitter gave him the most trouble. Cole didn't hesitate in replying, "Rafael Devers."

A funny moment, perhaps, for a pitcher as accomplished as Cole to acknowledge a hitter having the upper hand against him. But it also indicated just how formidable Devers has been when facing Cole. The Yankees right-hander confirmed that — and underlined the notion — by intentionally walking Devers with no runners on base in Saturday's game.