Gerrit Cole… Worth Every Penny!!!
Let's talk about the ACE of pinstripes, the Cy Young of the Bronx, the only former Astro I like, the one and only Gerrit Cole!
Gerrit Cole is coming off a phenomenal season in the Bronx as he was awarded the AL Cy Young after a 15-4 season, pitching a 2.63 ERA. It's fair to assume that without Cole last year, the Yankees would have been several games under .500 with a losing record. The poor pitching performances in the rest of the rotation hurt the Yankees badly, especially since the offensive performance was not to the standard the Yankees are used to.
Thankfully, Gerrit Cole, the now 6-time all-star, is on a large and extended contract with the Yankees. Cole still has 4 more years in the Bronx, making $36 million a year. That's a pretty penny, but I do think it's absolutely worth it. With the offensive acquisitions on the offensive side and the pitching rotation, the Yankees are, without a doubt, playoff-bound this year. I want to see Cole standing on the mound in October, looking down a batter to pitch a perfect game to win the World Series. Now, expecting a perfect game to win the World Series might be a stretch, but you get what I am hoping for.
I have absolute confidence in Cole as the ACE of the Yankees, but the rest of the rotation is still a slight question. While on paper, the top three starters, Cole, Stroman, and Róndon, are three top-of-the-league pitchers, the last two have things to prove this season. Róndon had a horrific start on the Yankees in 2023, with a performance that is way below the caliber the Yankees were expecting and paying for. Stroman, the latest acquisition on the pitching rotation, has a lot of hype coming into the Bronx for the 2024 season. In the last few seasons, going back to 2019, he pitched an ERA below 4.0. The stats prove he is a strong pitcher, but playing in the Bronx can be a wild and unexpected change for premier players, just look at Róndon last year......
Regardless of the rest of the rotation, I have 100% confidence in Gerrit Cole, and I can't wait to see him on the mound on March 28th in Houston to kick the crap out of his old cheating team, the Houston Astros!