Written by: Matthew Fuda
Edited by: Jovan Popovic
The baseball Winter Meetings have been over for several weeks, and the baseball offseason continues its long trudge into spring training. That being said, there have been several notable free agent signings and players traded throughout the offseason, with many stars still left on the market. Some signings have been under the radar, like that of Kole Calhoun to the Arizona Diamondbacks for $16 million/2 years with a third year option (per Jon Morosi), while others have been huge splashes like 2019 MVP candidate Anthony Rendon to the Los Angeles Angels. There has been plenty of debate about who was the best free agent signing of the 2019-2020 offseason. Was it Rendon to the Angels? Stephen Strasburg returning to the Washington Nationals? Or maybe even Hyun-Jin Ryu to the Toronto Blue Jays? None of the above. Instead, the best and consequently the biggest free agent signing was pitching ace Gerrit Cole to the New York Yankees.
Cole signed a lucrative $324 million/9 year deal with the Yankees on December 18, 2019 (mlb.com). He had a stellar season last year and finished second in Cy Young voting to his former Houston Astros teammate Justin Verlander this past 2019 season. Cole, along with Verlander and Zack Greinke led the Astros with dominant pitching to a season that finished one win shy of a World Series title. One could argue that this team had 3 aces, but statistically, Cole was the most dominant of the three mentioned. He put up astronomical numbers over the course of the 2019 season. For example, per Baseball Reference, he led the American League with a 2.50 ERA and 185 ERA+ (an advanced stat that accounts for different runs based on ballpark size), while also leading the entirety of Major League Baseball with 326 strikeouts. Cole dominated the league with precision and overpowering pitching, and would be a great addition to any baseball team. However, in order for him to be the best free agent signing he also needed to mesh well with the team he would be joining, and the Yankees were the perfect fit.
The Yankees had two things that every elite free agent wants when selecting a destination. Firstly, they have money and plenty of it. The Yankees have one of the largest payrolls in the MLB at a value of $237.1 million (per baseball reference). Secondly, they are contenders, as proven by back to back 100+ win seasons. A pitcher like Cole who was one win shy of a World Series wants another crack at the title, and the Yankees are among the most likely teams to provide that opportunity. On the other hand, Cole is also an excellent fit for the Yankees organization as he fills a desperate need of the team which is starting pitching. Among all MLB teams, the Yankees ranked 14th in ERA and 17th in opposing teams OPS (mlb.com). These are not abysmal numbers by any means, however in order to be true championship contenders, middle of the pack pitching simply will not cut it. All this can be remedied with the addition of Cole and the return of a healthy Luis Severino to the starting pitching staff. That being said, not all star free agents that go to New York always pan out for the Yankees due to its big stage (think Jacoby Ellsbury or Sonny Gray’s tenures). However, Yankees fans should not worry about Cole adjusting, as he grew up a Yankees fan and is well aware of the pressure that comes with pitching in the Bronx.
When teams are looking for free agents, it is like going fishing. Sometimes you don’t catch anything or maybe you reel in something small. However, if you have the right bait and knowledge of the waters, you can catch the biggest fish in the lake. The New York Yankees did just that. They took their boats out to the offseason lake, threw out their $324 million bait, and hauled in the biggest prize: star pitcher Gerrit Cole. His dominance on the mound, his familiarity with the atmosphere of Yankees Stadium, the postseason opportunities, as well as his massive paycheck make him an excellent fit for the organization, and the best free agent signing of the offseason.
Comentários