TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 24: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch in the first inning during the spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Steinbrenner Field on February 24, 2020 in Tampa, Florida.
(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

Cole needed three strikeouts. It didn’t take long. 

Tab Bamford

Coming into Monday night’s Yankees-Rangers game, superstar ace Gerrit Cole needed three strikeouts to make major league history.

Just last Thursday, Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes established a new big league record when he recorded his 58th strikeout without walking a batter. Cole came into Monday’s start with 56 strikeouts between free passes.

It took Cole one inning to get the three needed whiffs to take over the top spot in the record books.