Gerrit Cole allows seven homers in two starts as playoffs near

His season ERA rose to 3.67 on Saturday.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 131 min read

MLB

https://t.co/xFNlQUcToV The trend line with Gerrit Cole is disturbing as the timeline to the playoff dwindles. Via @Joelsherman1 on X

What happened: Gerrit Cole allowed five earned runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings on September 12. Six days earlier, his first three batters each homered. [AS](https://as.com/us/mlb/pesadilla-gerrit-cole-f202609-n/)

Why it matters: The recent results raise concerns about Cole's reliability in a postseason rotation. Joel Sherman flagged his declining form with the playoff preparation window shrinking.

By the numbers: Through 20 starts in 2026, Cole is 8-9. [AS](https://as.com/us/mlb/pesadilla-gerrit-cole-f202609-n/)

What to watch: Watch whether Cole limits home runs in his next start.

Sources

@Joelsherman1 Sep 13, 9:00 AM ET

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Gerrit Cole allows seven homers in two starts as playoffs near

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