Cole is expected to start one game of the Pirates' doubleheader against the Cubs on Sept. 15, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Manager Clint Hurdle has decided to skip Cole this week and insert A.J. Burnett (elbow) back into the rotation. Cole said he feels great right now, but he's already at 180.2 frames for the season, and Hurdle said he wanted to line Cole up for starts against the Cubs, Dodgers, Cubs, Cardinals and potentially yet another start against the Cubs in the NL Wild Card game.

Cole will have his next start skipped, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

EDGE Analysis

Cole is sitting at 180.2 innings pitched for the season, by far the highest number of his career. And with the Pirates in playoff position, they can afford to skip his turn in the rotation in hopes of preserving his arm for a potential National League wild-card game. Starting in Cole's place Thursday against Milwaukee will be A.J. Burnett, who will return to the rotation after missing more than a month with a flexor strain in his right elbow. The 38-year-old holds a 3.06 ERA in 21 starts this season.

Cole (16-8) rebounded from one of his worst starts with a gem Sunday, tossing seven shutout innings against the Cardinals. He allowed two hits and three walks while striking out seven.

EDGE Analysis

Manager Clint Hurdle said in July the team would monitor Cole's workload. "We have plans in place  absolutely. We will communicate on that, and we will keep it internal," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We will monitor Cole." The Scott Boras client has already thrown more in 2015 (180.2 IP, 2816 pitches) than in 2014 (138 IP, 2197 pitches), though he did throw 22.1 minor-league innings last year.

Cole allowed five earned runs on eight hits and one walk in just four innings Tuesday (tying the shortest outing of his career) in a 7-4 loss to the Brewers.

EDGE Analysis

Milwaukee jumped on Cole for four runs in the first inning of a game in which the pitcher tied a career high in earned runs permitted. The righty threw 77 pitches (49 strikes) including an inordinate high number of curves and fewer sliders than usual. He now holds a 4.04 ERA in 30.1 IP since July.

The Pirates have moved Cole's next start up from Wednesday to Tuesday, giving him two starts in the coming week, according to David Todd of ESPN 970 in Pittsburgh.

EDGE Analysis

Cole will face the Brewers in Milwaukee on Tuesday and then square off against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Sunday. The change also means Cole will miss Cincinnati a week from Monday. The righty is 0-3 with a 5.95 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in four starts versus the Reds in 2015.

Cole allowed two runs on six hits, walking two and striking out three over seven innings of a 5-2 win against the Cardinals on Friday night. For Cole (13-3, 2.30 ERA) it was a rather pedestrian outing, albeit against one of the better teams in the National League. The 13 wins are a league best as he continues to set the pace for the Pirates and further establish himself as one of the better starters in the game.

Cole improved to 12-3 with a win over the Indians on Sunday. He gave up three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out five over eight innings. After giving up a combined 17 hits in his final two starts of June (11.1 innings), Cole limited Cleveland to just five base knocks in his first outing of July, with only one going for extra bases. He was dominant after the third inning, retiring 16 straight batters to end his outing. With a major-league leading 12 wins to go along with 113 strikeouts and excellent ratios, Cole has been right there among the best pitchers in the National League behind Max Scherzer.

Cole pitched well in a no-decision Tuesday, holding the Tigers to two runs in 6.2 innings. Cole struck out six and didn't walk a batter in what amounted to an excellent bounce-back effort after his turbulent start against the Reds. The 24 year old will carry a 2.20 ERA and 1.14 WHIP to his start against the Indians this weekend.

Cole gave up eight hits and five earned runs over just 4.2 innings pitched on Wednesday against the Reds. He walked three and struck out five to earn the loss. Cole (11-3) had won six straight starts entering Wednesday's game against the Reds, and the streak was finally broken. He had a rough first inning in which he gave up four runs to put the Pirates in a early hole. Cole is the front runner right now for the NL Cy Young Award, and fantasy owners shouldn't be concerned whatsoever. Everyone loses once in awhile.

Cole reeled off his sixth straight win Thursday, holding the White Sox to two runs in seven innings on three hits and three walks. He needed 107 pitches (66 for strikes) to make it through seven frames and his four punchouts represent a season low. Cole left Thursday's tilt with the score tied at two apiece but became eligible for the win when Pittsburgh scored a go-ahead run in the eighth. He's now won 11 of his 14 starts and features a glittering 1.78 ERA in 91 innings.