MLB Rumors: Gerrit Cole To New York Yankees Seems Less Likely, LA Angles Lurking In Free Agency

The New York Yankees are pursuing Gerrit Cole, but it might be unlikely for them to sign the best pitcher on the market. According to the latest rumors, the feeling around baseball is the starter prefers to return to the West Coast.

A native of California, Cole is favored to end up with the Los Angeles Angels for the 2020 MLB season. The team is expected to make a strong push to sign the right-hander after L.A. missed the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, despite having Mike Trout on the roster.

The Los Angeles Dodgers could also be a player for Cole.

The Yankees, of course, can pay Cole more than anyone. MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi has reported that there isn’t a ton of optimism that New York will be able to stop Cole from returning home.

C.C. Sabathia said on the R2C2 podcast a few weeks ago that he’s spoken with Cole about playing for the Yankees as a West Coast native. The now-retired pitcher believes Cole would go to New York at the right price.

There is a general industry perception that Gerrit Cole prefers the west coast, but the Yankees don’t have any specific information from the agent or player to indicate he would choose California over Bronx. They’re still in.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) November 26, 2019

Paired with the industry perception that Cole wants west coast is perception that Angels are ready to go bonkers for him and spend whatever it takes. But again, Yankees in on him as of now.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) November 26, 2019

New York has shown in recent years that they are unwilling to overpay free agents, no matter how good they might be. The Washington Nationals comfortably outbid the Yankees for Patrick Corbin last offseason. The team wasn’t close to landing Manny Machado, even though New York was reportedly his preferred destination.

Cole will probably command the largest contract in history for a pitcher. The 29-year-old is expected to land a seven-year deal, at a minimum, that pays him close to $35 million per season.

It’s conceivable that the Angles could offer Cole $280 million over eight years. Would a $300 million contract from the Yankees put Cole in pinstripes?

Maybe New York’s need to upgrade the rotation will force the organization to spend more money than it intended. A lack of elite starting pitching played a key role in the Yankees failing to reach the World Series in 2019. Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton are both set to hit free agency after the 2020 season.

Stephen Strasburg is also an option for the Yankees in free agency. He could command a $30 million-plus average salary, though he won’t get a deal as long as the one Cole ultimately signs.

The Yankees might have reached the World Series if it wasn’t for Cole. The free agent gave the Houston Astros a 2-1 series lead in the ALCS when he threw seven shutout innings at Yankee Stadium in Game 3.

Cole had the best 2019 season of any pitcher. After going 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP for Houston in the regular season, he posted a 1.72 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 36.2 playoff innings.