Yankees’ Gerrit Cole strikes out 10 in dominant outing while on ‘pretty strict’ pitch count

There was plenty for the Yankees to be optimistic about after Gerrit Cole’s most dominant outing of the season.

There was caution, though, because it was a shorter start than most.

Cole’s stuff was excellent, with a season-high 10 strikeouts, on a night he only recorded 16 outs through 90 pitches.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was on a “pretty strict” pitch count, manager Aaron Boone said, in being careful with an ace whose overall body soreness led to his spot being skipped in the rotation at the end of July.

The righty recovered from that soreness, allowed two runs in 5 ²/₃ innings in a win over the Blue Jays on Sunday, before his workload again was being closely monitored in what became a 9-4 loss to the Rangers in the back end of Saturday’s doubleheader in The Bronx.

“Just making sure we’re in a good spot with him,” said Boone, who pulled Cole in a sixth inning that got screwy, Texas hanging five runs on Luke Weaver in the frame.