The New York Times reports reported over the weekend that free agent starter Gerrit Cole has a deal on the table from the Yankees.
Yeah, and that had best be a very sturdy table given it is reportedly a seven-year, $245-million contract offer—which would set a record for total value and average annual value for a pitcher.
The 29-year-old Cole could not have timed having a career year any better. During the regular season, he led all of baseball with 326 strikeouts and led the American League with a 2.50 ERA while also posting a 20-5 record and walking only 48 batters across 212 1/3 innings. He performed brilliantly in the playoffs as well, holding the opposition to seven runs on 21 hits and 11 walks with 47 strikeouts over 36 2/3 innings of work as the Astros narrowly missed out on winning another championship.
Given Cole’s age, a deal of at least seven years would take him well into his mid-30’s. Teams, especially lately, have been hesitant to commit to pitchers, but as the Nationals showed with Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin, sometimes it leads to a championship.
Regardless, something tells me Cole is about to become a merry old soul.
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