Yankees waste Gerrit Cole’s dazzling return in loss to Rays as AL East deficit keeps growing

Source: New York Post

Even a near-vintage performance from Gerrit Cole in his return wasn’t enough to prevent the Yankees from losing their third straight and falling a season-high 5 ½ games back of the Rays. The Yankees wasted six scoreless innings from their ace in his first outing after recovering from March 2025 Tommy John surgery in a 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay in The Bronx. The culprits on Friday were another unproductive night from the lineup and a shaky performance out of the bullpen against a Rays team that has the best record in the majors, has won five straight overall, as well as all four meetings against the Yankees this season.