ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 01: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees reacts after closing out the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 01, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
When the New York Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to that massive nine-year, $324 million contract, fans were predictably excited. They hadn’t had anything even resembling a true No. 1 starter since CC Sabathia at the beginning of the decade.
But there were some concerns about Cole. Before arriving in Houston in a trade between the Pirates and Astros, the right-hander was inconsistent in Pittsburgh and his strikeout numbers weren’t great.