Yankees’ Gerrit Cole allows three consecutive home runs to open Padres game

SAN DIEGO — Gerrit Cole hung a curveball in the top of the strike zone to Fernando Tatis Jr., who deposited it over the right-field wall for a leadoff home run on Sunday. The nightmare start for the New York Yankees’ ace was just beginning.

Jake Cronenworth followed Tatis’ home run with an opposite-field shot over the left-field wall. That was the Padres’ second baseman’s first opposite-field home run of his seven-year career. Third baseman Manny Machado then joined the home run party with a missile over the center-field wall, giving the Padres a 3-0 lead to begin Sunday’s rubber match.

Cole was left stunned after Machado’s home run. He turned to watch the ball sail over the wall before staring back at home plate toward catcher Austin Wells in shock. Cole limited the damage to just those three runs, but Ty France, the fourth batter of the game, hit a fly ball that landed one foot in front of the center-field wall.

THE PADRES GO BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK TO START THE GAME AGAINST GERRIT COLE!pic.twitter.com/cWXr2kao0C

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 6, 2026

This was the second time in Cole’s career that he allowed three home runs to begin a game. The Minnesota Twins accomplished the feat on June 9, 2022, when Luis Arraez, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa hit three consecutive home runs to begin the game. In that start, Cole was chased after 2 1/3 innings pitched, allowing seven runs. The Yankees rallied to win that game, however, 10-7.

The Padres last started a game with three home runs on April 13, 1987, when Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn and John Kruk did it off San Francisco Giants starter Roger Mason. The Padres ultimately lost that game 13-6.

This story will be updated.