(CBSNewYork)- New York Yankees starter Gerrit Cole has been one of several pitchers that have been pointed out in recent weeks for potentially having used foreign substances to get better grip on the ball and increase spin rate. There was a lawsuit filed earlier this year by an ex-Angels clubhouse attendant who alleged that Cole, along with Astros ace Justin Verlander and Nationals ace Max Scherzer, used a grip-enhancing substance.
So, when analysts noticed a drop in Cole’s spin rate in his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays last Thursday, it was immediately pointed to as a sign he had been using something but stopped in the wake of MLB stepping up enforcement of the rule.