Yankees’ Gerrit Cole hesitance lands Luis Gil start in Game 4

With their backs thrown against the wall, the Yankees are not responding with desperation. They will opt for the arm with rest rather than the arm with the reputation. 

Even though a Game 5 is not guaranteed, it will be Luis Gil — whose arm surely is fresh — who will pitch Game 4 rather than bringing back Gerrit Cole on short rest. 

Cole pitched six-plus, one-run innings in Friday’s Game 1 loss in Los Angeles. He was not overly taxed by pitch count at least, finishing at 88, but will not be an option to return on three days rest. 

The idea of the club’s ace attempting to start three games in the series did not warrant much of a conversation, manager Aaron Boone said, after Cole built up too quickly during spring training and was diagnosed with nerve inflammation and edema that pushed his season debut into mid-June. 

Coming back on short rest is “not something I want to do with Gerrit this year, with what he’s been through,” Boone said before the Yankees fell, 4-2, in Monday’s Game 3 of the World Series in The Bronx, which brought them a loss away from a sweep. 

Cole will hope to pitch Game 5 on regular rest Wednesday — if the series extends to Wednesday. The rookie Gil will get the ball for the largest game of his life and just his second game in the past month.