New York Yankees star pitcher Gerrit Cole was impressed by the Philadelphia Phillies to say the least. The Yankees' ace shared his honest thoughts on the Phillies following New York's 4-2 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

“It’s exciting, yeah,” Cole said. “(Aaron) Nola’s great, man. He’s great. The Phillies are great; their lineup is a joke, they’re so good. It was going to be a fun scrap for the rubber game, and fortunately, we were able to come out on top. Well-pitched games from both sides.”

Gerrit Cole and Aaron Nola were locked in a pitcher's duel through the first six innings. Nola ultimately pitched six innings of three-run ball while striking out five. His performance was especially impressive considering the fact that he was facing a powerful Yankees lineup at Yankee Stadium. Cole, on the other hand, allowed just one run over 6.1 innings pitched. He recorded eight strikeouts in the outing, but walked three hitters.

Nevertheless, Gerrit Cole earned the victory in the game.

The Phillies were able to salvage one win against the Yankees, but New York won the series 2-1. The Yankees are now 4-2 on the season, while the Phillies fell to 1-5.

The Yankees will play their first road game of the 2023 campaign on Friday in Baltimore against the Orioles. Friday's contest represents the first of a six-game road trip for the ball club.

Gerrit Cole and New York are likely content with their start to the season. However, they need to keep their foot on the gas pedal moving forward.