Fact Check: Were Gerrit Cole's stats altered by Yankees scorekeeper to boost Cy Young chances? MLB podcast's viral claim examined

Despite the New York Yankees' struggles this season, Gerrit Cole has been in a league of his own. The 32-year-old pitcher is chasing his first Cy Young award and is in contention to claim the honor this year.

However, famous MLB podcaster Jake believes that a Yankees scorekeeper altered Cole's stats after his game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday to boost the player's chances of winning the Cy Young award.

While speaking on his TalkinJake and Jomboy podcast, Jake said:

"They corrected one of the hits after the game. So, Cole had another earned run. The chopper to Peraza at third. After the game, they changed to an error cause he fielded it, threw it and then DJ couldn't handle the throw."

He added:

"And Cole's ERA went from in the 3.00's down to 2.95. So that's kind of nice when you're chasing a Cy."

Jake's comments on Cole's altered stats have become the talk of the town on social media. However, there is no suggestion or evidence to back those claims. The official MLB page shows Cole has a 2.95 ERA following his outing against the Rays.

Cole has six All-Star honors, and he is a two-time strikeout leader. However, the pitcher is yet to win the Cy Young Award. His ERA at the end of the season could prove to be vital if he is to win the title.

A look at Gerrit Cole's stats in 2023 MLB season

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole

Gerrit Cole is having a fabulous individual season with the New York Yankees in 2023. He has racked up 181 strikeouts and 43 walks in 168.0 innings pitched at a 2.95 ERA across 27 games. The right-handed pitcher has an 11-4 record with a 1.04 WHIP this year.

Despite Cole's exceptional outings this season, the Yankees are unlikely to qualify for the playoffs. Aaron Boone's side presently has a 62-68 record and is 19 games behind divisional leaders Baltimore Orioles.