Reds' Trevor Bauer Gives Gerrit Cole Props for Performance in Yankees' Loss

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer gave credit to New York Yankees starter Gerrit Cole for returning on short rest to pitch in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.

Cole pitched well in the winner-take-all contest. He allowed one hit, two walks and one earned run in 5.1 innings while striking out nine. It wasn't enough, however, as the Yanks' season came to a close with a 2-1 loss on a late home run by the Rays' Mike Brosseau.

Bauer's praise of the New York right-hander is particularly notable because they've had a tumultuous relationship dating back to their time as college teammates at UCLA from 2009 through 2011.

In 2018, he told Jordan Bastian of MLB.com those issues were a thing of the past.

"I have no problem with Gerrit," Bauer said. "We had a rocky relationship in college, because he told me that I had no future in baseball and he insulted my work ethic as a freshman. I don't take kindly to those couple things, so we had our issues. And I have—I don't know, those feelings have long since faded."

However, he took another veiled shot at Cole in March while discussing pitchers' spin rates.

Bauer's Reds were previously eliminated from the postseason by the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Round. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, and he caused a stir Wednesday with a Twitter post directed toward the Yankees:

A reunion of the former Bruins aces in the Bronx would give the Yanks one of MLB's best one-two punches atop the rotation heading into 2021 if they can put their personal differences aside.