Gerrit Cole The Priority For Yankees
5 years agoThe New York Yankees are making signing starting pitcher Gerrit Cole their top offseason priority and have ownership-level approval to offer him a record-setting deal, according to sources familiar with the team's plans. The 29-year-old right-hander, who led baseball in strikeouts in 2019, is set to smash David Price's record contract for a pitcher of $217 million. The Yankees and Angels are preparing for a bidding war that executives expect will reach well beyond $250 million. The Dodgers are also in the mix. The top pitcher on the open market could sign sometime this month. Cole was drafted 28th overall in the first round by New York in 2008, but the pitcher chose to attend UCLA and went No. 1 overall to the Pirates three years later. He's believed to prefer the West Coast, but it may not matter if the Yankees offer him the most cash. Cole went 20-5 with a league-leading 2.50 ERA and major league-best 326 strikeouts in 212 1/3 innings for Houston last year.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan