Yankees Sign Gerrit Cole In Record Breaking Deal
Brian Cashman was not going to be denied this time. After years of getting snubbed for going small with starting pitchers, Cashman got his guy. Gerrit Cole has signed a record breaking contract with the New York Yankees. Cole has signed a 9 year contract worth $324 million. There are no deferrals and Cole has received a no trade clause.
Jon Heyman of MLB Network was the first to report the news:
This is the largest contract ever given out for a pitcher. Gerrit Cole will get $324 million over 9 years to take the ball once every 5th day. Crazy when you actually think about it. This deal explodes the pitching market. Prior to this offseason, David Price had the record for the largest contract in baseball history signing for $217 million. Stephen Strasburg eclipsed signing for $245 million. Gerrit Cole just obliterated the pitching market.
This isn’t just a big contract. It’s one of the biggest in baseball history. Bryce Harper’s deal for $330 million is the highest but that is over 13 years. Cole will get his $324 million over 9 years. That’s a $36 million per year clip. It’s an enormous commitment made by the Yankees here.
The Yankees needed pitching so it’s not hard to see why they targetted Cole. New York drafted him in the first round before he decided to attend UCLA. They failed to work out a trade with the Pirates a couple of years ago. Now the Yankees have their guy. Cole fits into the staff nicely. With a 5 man staff of Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, James Paxton, and JA Happ; that’s a staff you feel very good about.
