Why Aaron Boone Pulled Yankees Starter Gerrit Cole After Two Innings

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole lasted just two innings during Tuesday’s American League Wild Card Game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Cole was lifted with two runners on and nobody out in the third inning after allowing a solo home run to Red Sox designated hitter Kyle Schwarber earlier in the frame. The right-handed Cole threw just 50 pitches before Yankees manager Aaron Boone went to the bullpen and inserted right-hander Clay Holmes.

Boone explained his reasoning during the ESPN broadcast with the Red Sox leading 3-0.

“I just felt like it was time,” Boone said on the broadcast. “We’re set up back there and going through a tough part of the lineup and just felt like it was, felt like Holmes could put the ball on the ground in that situation. We got to keep this thing in check right now. I just felt like it was time.”

Boone explained that Cole was not dealing with any issues physically.

Cole allowed three runs — home runs to Xander Bogaerts and Schwarber — on four hits with two walks. Thirty of his 50 pitches were called strikes.

Holmes shut down the Red Sox over the next two innings while allowing just one hit. He induced an inning-ending double play after entering the third inning in relief of Cole.

You can watch the Red Sox-Yankees broadcast on ESPN with postgame coverage on NESN.