Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
SAN DIEGO — Never before have we seen a deal like this.
The Yankees and Gerrit Cole agreed to a record-setting nine-year, $324 million contract late Tuesday night, giving New York the top available free agent and upgrading the team’s one weakness from a year ago: the starting rotation.
In an age when teams are relying on their starters less than at any time in the sport’s history, especially pitchers in their mid-to-late 30s, the 29-year-old Cole became the first pitcher to sign for more than $300 million (the fifth player overall).