The World Series won’t even begin until Tuesday night, but there are some early signs that the starting pitching market may not be aligning in a way that’s favorable to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Houston Astros RHP Gerrit Cole went 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA, 2.64 FIP and 7.4 fWAR in 33 regular season starts. The 29-year-old is likely to win the American League Cy Young Award, and after posting a 0.40 ERA in three postseason starts, he’ll start Game 1 of the World Series Tuesday.
Signing Cole, who is going to be one of the most-coveted free-agents ever, isn’t necessarily a pipe dream for a team with the financial wherewithal of the Phillies, but it would certainly be a smart bet to take the field over Philadelphia.