New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole did not appreciate Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Daniel Vogelbach‘s perceived theatrics after a first-inning home run during New York’s 8–4 win at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday night.
Vogelbach crushed a Cole fastball, flipped his bat and then admired the towering, two-run shot to right field before slowly trotting around the bases as Cole looked on with an expression of both amusement and annoyance.
After the game, the Yankees ace sarcastically commented on the Blue Jays slugger enjoying a home run in a spring training exhibition, making it clear to reporters that he would remember this occurrence, per Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch.
"Yeah, what’s the day? Are we still in February? March 1st? Yeah, he enjoyed that homer," Cole said, before adding that he doesn't "forget a lot of things."
It’s not the first time that Cole, the reigning Cy Young Award winner, has commented on a batter's celebration of a home run, as he called Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor's rock-the-baby celebration of a 2022 postseason home run "cute."
Cole also has a bit of a history with the division-rival Blue Jays, as Toronto pitcher Alek Manoah called him the "worst cheater in baseball history" for his alleged use of “sticky stuff.”
This, of course, doesn't mean that anything will result from this Cole-Vogelbach moment. But it's worth noting the recent tensions between the Yankees and Blue Jays, as well as the fact that Cole made it clear he won't forget what happened.
The Yankees and Blue Jays are scheduled to play each other 13 times in 2024, starting with New York's home opener on April 5.
