Cole didn't factor into the decision in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader split with the Pirates, giving up three runs on four hits over seven innings. He struck out 11 without walking a batter.
The 35-year-old right-hander was back in Cy Young form, setting new season highs in innings and strikeouts, but Cole did serve up homers to Jacob Gonzalez in the fifth inning and Nick Gonzales in the seventh to account for all the damage off him. Cole has been taken deep 11 times in 62 innings since making his 2026 debut in late May, marring what's otherwise been an impressive return from elbow surgery last March. He'll take a 3.92 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 66:12 K:BB into his next start, which is set to come on the road early next week against the White Sox.