It’s happened!! Gerrit Cole is a Yankee! The right-hander, who is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, signed a 9 year $324 million deal with the Yankees, breaking the record for the largest contract by a pitcher in MLB history, while also breaking the record for AAV(Avreage annual value) at $36 million a year. The record was previously held by Stephen Strasburg, who agreed to a 7 year $245 million deal (35 AAV) with the reigning World Series Champions Washington Nationals. The deal includes an opt -out after 5 years, (however the Yankees can void it if they like and in exchange give Cole an extra year, making the deal 10 years ,$360 million. The 29 year old, also has a no-trade clause in his new pact as well.
The move makes the Yankees the favorites to win the 2020 World Series, as they now poses one of the best rotations in baseball, in Cole, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and young studs Jordan Montgomery, as well as Domingo German (When he gets back from his Domestic Violence suspension) occupying the back-end.
Coming into this offseason, the Yankees needed an ace to get over the Houston Astros hump, and take themselves to the next level, which is they went all out to get Cole, the now former Astros ace.
They met with him for 4:30 hours and brought out the young Yankees fan in him, by bringing his all-time favorite player , in former Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte, while also bringing an electronic contraption that was shaped like home plate, having literally everything you needed to know about the Yankees organization, from the player development, to the front office. Tucked inside, was Gerrit’s favorite wine, that he once mentioned to a Yankees clubhouse manger and the Yankees picked up a nice Mozara bottle, in preparation for their meeting with Cole.
They pulled out all of the stops, to get this guy and why not? He’s in his prime at 29 years old and isn’t afraid of the big lights of NY, which comes when you play for the Yankees.
At his press conference, Cole whipped out a sign that he held up at the 2001 World Series, as a little boy that stated “Yankee Fan, Today, Tomorrow, forever”, as he held it up, Gerrit said “I’m here and I’ve always been here”.
He later added that he didn’t take the Yankees cap that also was tucked inside that contraption for three straight days after marking his decision.
OTHER MOVES:
The Yankees have made other moves aside from the Cole one.
NO MORE CHANCES:
Chance Adams has run out of chances in NY. The Yankees traded the young pitcher away to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for minor league INF Christian Perez. Adams, didn’t pan out in NY, and never really found his groove when given the chance in the big leagues, which was often especially down the stretch in September of 2019.
Perez is in Single A right now and had a .252 BA in 2019. We will see what happens as he develops.
KRATZ IS BACK:
Needing catching depth after losing Austin Romime, the Yankees agreed to a minor league deal with 39 year old Erik Kratz. Erik filled in as backup on the 2017 Yankees, and will Backup Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka in 2019.
WARREN RETURNS:
Another ex Yankee is back! Reliver, Adam Warren has agreed to a 2 year minor league deal with the Yankees. This increase the Yankees pitching depth for 2021, as Warren won’t pitch in 2020 due to Tommy John Surgery.
PS: Cole agreed to terms with the Yankees on December 10th 2019. The reason why I said “AL East team” in multiple articles was because I was waiting for the press conference to happen (On December 18) to write an article saying he was on the Yankees.
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