Currently the Major League Baseball winter meetings are going on in San Diego, California, and all the breaking news coming from the annual event involves the signing of the MLB’s top offseason free agents. The biggest deal coming of course from the starting pitcher Gerrit Cole who just reached an agreement with the New York Yankees.

New Agreement:

This new contract is for 9 years and is valued at $324,000,000. All $324 million of that deal is guaranteed money as well! If you do the math that equates to $36,000,000 per year, and it is the fourth largest Major League Baseball contract of all time. This new deal is good for the most total money and annual average salary for a big league pitcher ever. Cole’s agent, Scott Boris, made sure to build in a full no trade clause as well as a player option to opt out of this contract after five years (2024) if he chooses to do so.

Previous Contract:

Cole previously signed a one year $13,500,000 contract with the Houston Astros for the 2019 MLB season after which he would become a free agent. He did have an amazing 2019 season in which he led the Astros all the way to the World Series, but unfortunately for them they lost to the World Series champion Washington Nationals. Prior to that, in January of 2018, the Pittsburgh Pirates worked out a one year negotiation with the ace starting pitcher for $6,750,000. Although on January 13th, 2018 Cole was traded to the Houston Astros for Joe Musgrove, Michael Feliz, Colin Moran, and Jason Martin.

Cole’s Career Regular Season Statistics:

Year Age Tm Lg W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF ERA+ FIP WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W Awards
2013 22 PIT NL 10 7 .588 3.22 19 19 0 0 0 0 117.1 109 43 42 7 28 0 100 3 0 4 469 111 2.91 1.168 8.4 0.5 2.1 7.7 3.57
2014 23 PIT NL 11 5 .688 3.65 22 22 0 0 0 0 138.0 127 58 56 11 40 1 138 9 1 9 571 99 3.23 1.210 8.3 0.7 2.6 9.0 3.45
2015 24 PIT NL 19 8 .704 2.60 32 32 0 0 0 0 208.0 183 71 60 11 44 1 202 10 0 7 832 149 2.66 1.091 7.9 0.5 1.9 8.7 4.59 AS,CYA-4,MVP-19
2016 25 PIT NL 7 10 .412 3.88 21 21 0 1 0 0 116.0 131 57 50 7 36 3 98 6 1 5 506 107 3.33 1.440 10.2 0.5 2.8 7.6 2.72
2017 26 PIT NL 12 12 .500 4.26 33 33 0 0 0 0 203.0 199 98 96 31 55 1 196 4 0 7 849 100 4.08 1.251 8.8 1.4 2.4 8.7 3.56
2018 27 HOU AL 15 5 .750 2.88 32 32 0 1 1 0 200.1 143 68 64 19 64 0 276 7 0 9 799 144 2.70 1.033 6.4 0.9 2.9 12.4 4.31 AS,CYA-5
2019 28 HOU AL 20 5 .800 2.50 33 33 0 0 0 0 212.1 142 66 59 29 48 0 326 3 3 4 817 185 2.64 0.895 6.0 1.2 2.0 13.8 6.79 AS,CYA-2,MVP-10
7 Yrs 94 52 .644 3.22 192 192 0 2 1 0 1195.0 1034 461 427 115 315 6 1336 42 5 45 4843 127 3.06 1.129 7.8 0.9 2.4 10.1 4.24
162 Game Avg. 17 9 .644 3.22 34 34 0 0 0 0 212  183 82 76 20 56 1 237 7 1 8 858 127 3.06 1.129 7.8 0.9 2.4 10.1 4.24
PIT (5 yrs) 59 42 .584 3.50 127 127 0 1 0 0 782.1 749 327 304 67 203 6 734 32 2 32 3227 112 3.27 1.217 8.6 0.8 2.3 8.4 3.62
HOU (2 yrs) 35 10 .778 2.68 65 65 0 1 1 0 412.2 285 134 123 48 112 0 602 10 3 13 1616 164 2.67 0.962 6.2 1.0 2.4 13.1 5.38
NL (5 yrs) 59 42 .584 3.50 127 127 0 1 0 0 782.1 749 327 304 67 203 6 734 32 2 32 3227 112 3.27 1.217 8.6 0.8 2.3 8.4 3.62
AL (2 yrs) 35 10 .778 2.68 65 65 0 1 1 0 412.2 285 134 123 48 112 0 602 10 3 13 1616 164 2.67 0.962 6.2 1.0 2.4 13.1 5.38

Cole’s Career Postseason Statistics:

Year Age Tm Lg Series Rslt Opp W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W WPA
2013 22 PIT NL NLWC W CIN
2013 22 PIT NL NLDS L STL 1 1 .500 2.45 2 2 0 0 0 0 11.0 5 3 3 2 2 0 10 0 0 0 40 0.636 4.1 1.6 1.6 8.2 5.00 0.17
2015 24 PIT NL NLWC L CHC 0 1 .000 7.20 1 1 0 0 0 0 5.0 6 4 4 2 1 0 4 0 0 0 21 1.400 10.8 3.6 1.8 7.2 4.00 -0.20
2018 27 HOU AL ALDS W CLE 1 0 1.000 1.29 1 1 0 0 0 0 7.0 3 1 1 1 0 0 12 0 0 0 24 0.429 3.9 1.3 0.0 15.4 0.29
2018 27 HOU AL ALCS L BOS 0 1 .000 6.00 1 1 0 0 0 0 6.0 6 5 4 0 2 0 5 0 0 0 27 1.333 9.0 0.0 3.0 7.5 2.50 -0.23
2019 28 HOU AL ALDS W TBR 2 0 1.000 0.57 2 2 0 0 0 0 15.2 6 1 1 1 3 0 25 0 0 0 54 0.574 3.4 0.6 1.7 14.4 8.33 0.83
2019 28 HOU AL ALCS W NYY 1 0 1.000 0.00 1 1 0 0 0 0 7.0 4 0 0 0 5 0 7 0 0 0 30 1.286 5.1 0.0 6.4 9.0 1.40 0.41
2019 28 HOU AL WS L WSN 1 1 .500 3.86 2 2 0 0 0 0 14.0 11 6 6 3 3 0 15 0 0 0 54 1.000 7.1 1.9 1.9 9.6 5.00 0.09
4 Yrs (7 Series) 6 4 .600 2.60 10 10 0 0 0 0 65.2 41 20 19 9 16 0 78 0 0 0 250 0.868 5.6 1.2 2.2 10.7 4.88 1.36
1 NLWC 0 1 .000 7.20 1 1 0 0 0 0 5.0 6 4 4 2 1 0 4 0 0 0 21 1.400 10.8 3.6 1.8 7.2 4.00 -0.20
1 NLDS 1 1 .500 2.45 2 2 0 0 0 0 11.0 5 3 3 2 2 0 10 0 0 0 40 0.636 4.1 1.6 1.6 8.2 5.00 0.17
2 ALDS 3 0 1.000 0.79 3 3 0 0 0 0 22.2 9 2 2 2 3 0 37 0 0 0 78 0.529 3.6 0.8 1.2 14.7 12.33 1.12
2 ALCS 1 1 .500 2.77 2 2 0 0 0 0 13.0 10 5 4 0 7 0 12 0 0 0 57 1.308 6.9 0.0 4.8 8.3 1.71 0.18
1 WS 1 1 .500 3.86 2 2 0 0 0 0 14.0 11 6 6 3 3 0 15 0 0 0 54 1.000 7.1 1.9 1.9 9.6 5.00 0.09

Media Statements:

“I think we all understand we have a special team that’s hopefully in the middle of a chance to do some great things,” New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone stated while at the MLB winter meetings. “Any time you’re talking about a player the caliber of Gerrit Cole, and knowing what he can potentially mean to our club, it’s no surprise that we are as invested as we are in pursuing him.”

“He’s got the sharp breaking ball,” explains the former ball player Ryan Howard. “He’s got the changeup, which really for me has been the difference-maker for him. He’s really gotten control of that changeup and being able to throw it at any point in any count.”

“He’s developed into a pitcher,” Howard goes on to say. “He’s gotten seasoned. Now, he keeps (hitters) off balance.”