The Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to a nine-year $324 million dollar deal back in December 2019. Usually, when the Yankees spend a lot of money on a player, fans get worried that he won’t live up to expectations. However, you shouldn’t have to worry about Gerrit Cole.
Here are five reasons why Yankees’ Gerrit Cole will meet all expectations:
5. He knows how to get batters out.
In 2019, Cole pitched a total of 212.1 innings. In those innings, he tallied up a total of 326 strikeouts. That averages out to just over one strikeout an inning. The previous year, he pitched in 12 fewer innings and had 50 fewer strikeouts. To add on, he had a 13.8 SO/9 in 2019, which was the most in the MLB. Cole can get players out and at an efficient rate. He will no doubt showcase the same ability in a Yankee uniform.
4. The older he gets, the better he plays!
Gerrit Cole has proven that he gets better the more he pitches. As he’s gotten older, he’s gotten better. Last year, he had multiple new career highs and keeps topping his numbers year after year. In 2019, he had career highs in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, games played, innings pitched, SO/9, H/9, WAR, RA/9, FIP, and wins. He has been putting up ace quality stats ever since he came into the league. That didn’t change when he made the transition from Pittsburgh to Houston, and it shouldn’t change now.Â
3. He has experience from all around the league.
Gerrit Cole has played for two teams in his MLB career, the Pirates and Astros. Which means that he’s played against players from the NL and the AL. He’s played 7 seasons in the MLB and has been lights out from the beginning. Cole has played in three All-Star games and has been around top tier players his whole career. Despite playing against All-Stars his whole career, they still can’t figure out how to hit him. Gerrit Cole has faced all sorts of different batters with different strengths. He has been around the league for a long time and knows more about the game now more than ever. That is a huge advantage.
2. Gerrit Cole can play for big-market teams.
When Gerrit Cole was traded to the Astros back in 2018, people questioned whether Cole could make the switch. It turns out he could and with ease. He went from a rebuilding team to a team competing for the World Series and didn’t lose a step. He got better and put up the best numbers in his career. It was his first real-time in the spotlight, and he shined. There should be no reason he loses that ability in New York.
1. He has experience in October!
In the last three seasons, the Yankees have been missing ace pitchers in the rotation come October. Masahiro Tanaka has been great for the Yankees, but they have always needed one more pitcher to be able to pitch well against a really good team in October. Gerrit Cole can do just that. He pitched in 10 playoff games and has been fantastic. Cole is 6-4 with a 2.60 ERA in 65.2 innings of work. He also had 78 strikeouts, a 10.7 SO/9, a 1.9 BB/9, and a 0.868 WHIP. Gerrit has experience in every single round of the playoffs, including the World Series. I think it’s safe to say that postseason pitching isn’t a problem for Gerrit Cole.Â
In a shortened season, Yankee fans should have nothing to worry about regarding Gerrit Cole. He is a proven ace pitcher that knows his way around the league. Cole grew up a Yankee fan and wants to perform his absolute best for his favorite childhood team. Look to see Gerrit Cole put up CY Young capable numbers this season.Â