Gerrit Cole Says 'This Is Like as Bad as It Gets' After Yankees Lose MLB World Series

Gerrit Cole didn't try to hide his feelings after the New York Yankees' defensive implosion in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series helped spur the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-6 win and their eighth title in franchise history.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Cole put this loss at the top of his personal list of defeats.

"This is like as bad as it gets," Cole said.

The Yankees looked like they were going to cruise to victory and force a Game 6 back in Los Angeles. They jumped out to a 5-0 lead by scoring in each of the first three innings, including back-to-back homers from Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the first.

Cole held the Dodgers lineup to no hits and two walks on just 49 pitches through four innings. Enrique Hernández broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff single in the fifth.

That was when the floodgates opened because Tommy Edman's liner to center field should have been an easy out, but it hit off the thumb of Aaron Judge's glove to put runners on first and second.

Will Smith reached on a fielder's choice when Anthony Volpe attempted to get a force out at third base, but he hopped the throw and Chisholm was unable to get the ball in his glove.

Cole looked like he would escape the situation by striking out Gavin Lux and Shohei Ohtani, but Anthony Rizzo waited back on Mookie Betts' weak grounder with two outs and was unable to get to the bag in time for the out.

The Dodgers would score five unearned runs in the inning to tie the game. After the Yankees retook the lead in the sixth on Giancarlo Stanton's sacrifice fly, the Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs to start the eighth against Tommy Kahnle.

Yankees closer Luke Weaver came in trying to escape the damage, but he gave up two sac flies that put the Dodgers back on top. New York was unable to plate another run over its final two turns at-bat, ending the game and the 2024 MLB season.

Per MLB.com's Sarah Langs, the five-run comeback for the Dodgers is the largest ever in a World Series-clinching game.

This was the second time in the series that the Yankees blew a lead. They were up 3-2 Game 1 in the eighth inning before the Dodgers tied it and eventually won in the 10th on Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam.

Cole is still searching for his first World Series title. This was his second appearance in the Fall Classic and first since 2019 when he was with the Houston Astros when they lost to the Washington Nationals in seven games.

The Yankees haven't won a World Series since 2009.