Gerrit Cole struck out Tócman, and Gary Sánchez threw the ball around the infield, which made it unusable under MLB rules. Once multiple players touch a ball, it’s out of play. The ump gave Cole a new ball, but Cole didn’t like it. He asked if he could throw a different one in, calling the new one a “practice ball.” The ump said no. Cole looked frustrated, rubbed pine tar on his hand, and stared at the new ball with clear irritation.
Miguel Andújar stepped into the box as Cole kept glaring at the ball. On the very next pitch, Cole threw a fastball that Andújar crushed for a home run. Cole muttered to himself about how much he hated the ball. It’s a strange glimpse into how particular he is about his grip. He had similar issues last season, often complaining about balls he didn’t like. After giving up the homer, he just shrugged and walked off, looking annoyed and blaming the ball.