Yankees' Gerrit Cole to Start Game 1 of 2024 World Series vs. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Gerrit Cole will be the team's starter for Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The rest of the starting rotation remains fluid.

Cole was limited to 17 appearances in the regular season and went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA and a 3.69 FIP. He has pitched in three playoff games so far, allowing six earned runs and striking out 12 in 16.1 combined innings.

His best postseason outing so far came in Game 4 of the American League Division Series. He held the Kansas City Royals to one earned run over seven innings as the Yankees secured a series-clinching 3-1 win.

Cole was the obvious choice to open the Fall Classic for the Bronx Bombers. He's well rested since his last start was on Oct. 15, and one reason he earns $36 million a year is to lead the way for the rotation in a moment like this.

If only Boone had as much certainty with the rest of his starting slots.

Carlos Rodón is the only other Yankees starter to eclipse double digits in innings this postseason. The southpaw figures to take the bump to get Game 2 underway on Saturday.

Beyond that, Boone has a few options between Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt and perhaps even Nestor Cortes. The manager left the door open for Cortes to rejoin the team after an elbow flexor strain has kept him out for a little over a month.

The Dodgers are playing short-handed themselves but had more than enough offense to eliminate the San Diego Padres and New York Mets in the last two rounds.

It will be on Cole to have the kind of performance in Game 1 that sets a tone for New York for the rest of the series.