ARLINGTON, Texas — New York Yankees star Gerrit Cole can’t really explain what caused the cramp in his right calf that forced him to make his final start, but the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner said Tuesday that he is not experiencing any pain or problems.

“I really don’t have a good answer to that, but it feels good today,” Cole said.

Before his final warm-up pitch before the seventh inning on Monday night, with the Yankees leading 7-1 in Texas, Cole lifted his right leg and tried to stretch. He bent twice, threw the warm-up pitch, then hopped and signaled to the bench. Manager Aaron Boone and director of sports medicine Michael Shuck walked to the mound.

“Yeah, definitely a big sigh of relief, especially when you’re running out there not knowing what’s going on and fearing the worst,” Boone said before Tuesday’s game. “To see that it was just some cramping, yeah, it feels like we dodged a bullet.”

The Yankees have announced their rotation for this weekend’s series at the Cubs. Cole (6-3) is scheduled to start Sunday. Right-handers Luis Gil (lower back strain) and Clarke Schmidt (right lat strain) will both be activated from the injured list to start the first two games in Chicago. Nestor Cortes will follow either Gil or Schmidt and then return to the rotation next week against the Boston Red Sox.

Cole (6-3), who had nine strikeouts in six innings against Texas, said after the Yankees’ 8-4 win that the cramp was not going away. While he wasn’t really worried, he didn’t feel the situation was right “to keep trying to manipulate it out there.”

The right-hander said Tuesday his pregame workout included applesauce, plenty of water and two electrolyte drinks.

“I made it to 82 throws,” he said.

After beginning this season on the 60-day injured list because of nerve irritation and edema in his throwing arm, Cole prepared to pitch for the first time in the seventh inning. The right-hander, who turns 34 on Sunday, retired the last nine Rangers batters he faced.