New York Yankees Cannot Waste Prime Years Of Gerrit Cole’s Career

The New York Yankees have demonstrated an aptitude for mediocrity which has overshadowed right-handed pitcher Gerrit Cole’s pursuit of his first Cy Young Award. Lethargy plagues the ball club as evident in personnel decisions, performance, and injuries. Right fielder Aaron Judge’s prolonged stint on the injured list due to a torn ligament in his right big toe exposed the Yankees’ overdependence on him which is a byproduct of an imbalanced roster. As the quest for a postseason berth appears to be an impossibility given their current brand of baseball, the Yankees cannot waste another moment of Cole’s prime years as a bona fide ace. His durability, intelligence, and talent are the bedrock upon which success should be built, but Cole is regularly left picking up the pieces of a shattered pitching rotation and anemic offense.

Besides stagnant philosophies and questions pertaining to executive leadership accountability, the Yankees’ deficiencies begin with an inability to embrace a multi-faceted approach to roster management. One dimensional in scope, the Yankees lack vibrancy. Amid the imbalance, there is always a sense of urgency to win but it takes on a greater significance given how multiple ball players are at least 30-years-old with some signed to long-term, nine figure contracts. The Yankees are reluctant to admit failure and embark upon a lengthy rebuilding process with the likes of Cole and Judge in the prime of their distinguished careers.

As the average annual value on Judge’s contract is $40 million through the conclusion of the 2031 season, Cole’s contract could pose a conundrum for the Yankees. His nine-year, $324 million contract has an opt out clause after the 2024 season according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. If he chooses to opt out, the Yankees can void the opt out and add an additional year to the contract valued at $36 million. It essentially becomes a five-year, $180 million contract at an average annual value of $36 million.

Barring injury or setbacks, expect Cole to invoke the opt out clause at the conclusion of next season. Would Cole want the Yankees to void his decision and add a tenth year to his original contract given the current mediocrity of the ball club? Would he prefer to test free agency at 34-years-old given what ball clubs have been willing to spend on elite starting pitchers in recent years? Would the Yankees view an opt out by Cole as a blessing in disguise by saving them $144 million over the final four years of the contract?

Cole’s last start against the Miami Marlins on August 13^th was the 100^th in his career for the Yankees. Besides the disappointing outcome of a no decision in an inexcusable loss, this milestone also represents an important moment regarding the splendor of Cole. He compares favorably to two of the Yankees’ finest pitching acquisitions as free agents during Brian Cashman’s tenure as general manager: Mike Mussina and CC Sabathia. Mussina’s Hall of Fame legacy is firmly cemented while Sabathia’s name should appear on the Class of 2025’s ballot for Hall of Fame consideration by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).

Since joining the Yankees as a free agent prior to the 2020 season through his last start against the Marlins, Cole leads Major League Baseball in strikeouts (760), ball games with at least 10 strikeouts (25), and quality starts (65) according to Baseball-Reference. In 2022, he set a franchise record for most strikeouts in a season (257) and is the only pitcher in Yankees’ history to have struck out at least 240 batters in two different seasons. Cole’s 611.1 innings pitched since the 2020 season only trails Marlins right-handed pitcher Sandy Alcantara’s 634.2 innings pitched as the most in Major League Baseball during this period.

Cole is at a critical phase in his career regarding the pursuit of statistical accomplishments, individual awards, and a world championship. He has the dubious distinction of being one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball who has yet to win a Cy Young Award. Cole has finished in the top five of voting for the Cy Young Award on five occasions with twice being the runner-up (2019, 2021). He has yet to raise the Commissioner’s Trophy in celebration after winning a World Series. Cole started two ball games for the Houston Astros during the 2019 World Series and posted a 1-1 record with a 3.86 earned run average. The Astros lost the seventh game to the Washington Nationals.

The Yankees have had five pitchers win the Cy Young Award while wearing the iconic pinstripes: Bob Turley (1958), Whitey Ford (1961), Sparky Lyle (1977), Ron Guidry (1978), and Roger Clemens (2001). Each of these pitchers were instrumental in leading the Yankees to an American League pennant in the same season as winning the Cy Young Award. On four of these occasions, they were also crowned World Series champions.

Cole is on a trajectory for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, but it is too early to begin sculpting a bronze plaque. Longevity, performance, and health must address current statistical deficiencies. He is shy of the venerable 3,000 strikeout club by 904 and 60 wins away from 200 for his career, regardless of the statistic’s diminished value in the modern game. Cole’s excellence is evident on the back of his baseball card in black and italicized ink, but he needs far more than leading Major League Baseball in strikeouts on two occasions to be a Hall of Famer.

Gerrit Cole has consistently proven to be an indispensable asset for the New York Yankees over his first 100 starts in pinstripes. The epitome of pitching excellence, Cole’s pursuit of individual and ball club goals has confronted a series of challenges presented by a lethargy adversely affecting the Yankees. They must quickly adjust and adapt to new methods of roster management or suffer the embarrassment of wasting an elite starting pitcher amid the prime years of his career.