Yanks need to decide if Cole is worth risk
HOW MUCH is too much?
That’s what the Yankees must be considering in their recent trade talks for Gerrit Cole.
As the Daily News reported last week, a potential deal between the two teams could include prospects Clint Frazier, Chance Adams and Miguel Andujar — which could be a lot to give up for Cole — though nothing was said to be imminent.
The 27-year-old righty, who cannot become a free agent until 2020, went 1212 with a career-worst 4.26 ERA and 31 homers allowed in 203 innings last season.
Cole had the best year of his career in 2015, when he went 19-8 with a 2.60 ERA and 11 homers allowed in 208 innings. But in 2016, he missed time due to elbow and triceps injuries and went 7-10 with a 3.88 ERA and seven homers allowed in 116 innings.
Cole’s home run problem was tried to force her to join him.
“I pulled back as he held onto my wrist,” Bissen wrote. “It hurt, how badly he was grasping at my wrist, but he particularly troubling. He surrendered all of 36 homers combined in his first four seasons in the majors (579.1 IP), which was among MLB's top clips of HR/9 IP (0.6). Last season, he gave up 31 homers in 203 innings (1.4). Is it an outlier or a sign of things to come — especially in an unforgiving ballpark like Yankee Stadium?
Essentially, Cole, who grew up a Yankee fan and was drafted by the team in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft but didn’t sign with them, has not pitched like a No. 1 starter in the last two seasons, though it’s clear based on their rejected ask for Gleyber Torres, the Pirates are shopping him like one.
Last season, in similar fashion, the Bombers took a calculated risk at the trade deadline by dealing James Kaprielian, Jorge Mateo and Dustin Fowler to the A’s in exchange for Sonny Gray, who was viewed more as a No. 2 by some scouts but only occasionally pitched like one.
Gray, 28, who has an injury history wouldn’t let go. I wasn’t going to give up my fight though. He then leaned down and tried to kiss me, more than once.
“Every time he did, I said no and but was attractive because he can’t become a free agent until 2020, struggled to get run support and go deep in his starts as a Yankee.
During the playoffs, he lasted just 31⁄3 innings in Game 1 of the ALDS, and did not pitch again until Game 4 of the ALCS, when he allowed two runs on one hit in five innings.
The Bombers are now faced with a similar situation with Cole, who carries his own risk.
Chris Archer and Michael Fulmer seem like preferable options, but if the Yankees don’t want to part with top-end prospects like Torres, Estevan Florial or Justus Sheffield — and it’s understandable why they wouldn’t — those guys probably aren’t going to be on the table.
The Bombers, though, are intent on adding another starter as a way to protect their young arms and have excess pitching in the event an injury occurs to a veteran like CC Sabathia (knee history) or Masahiro Tanaka (partial ACL tear).
Still, at worst, they’ll return their entire 2017 rotation of Luis Severino, Tanaka, Sabathia, Gray and Jordan Montgomery, which means they can afford to be patient in their search.
Frazier, 23, is currently blocked in the outfield by a number of talented players, while Andujar, who turns 23 in March, faces questions about his defense but is considered a strong hitter with vast potential.
Andujar could compete for the starting job at third base if he isn’t dealt. Granted, the Yankees could decide to add a veteran or go with a utility player like Ronald Torreyes at the position as well.
Regardless, the Bombers, who built a deep farm system, have a difficult decision to consider when it comes to Cole — a possible bounce-back candidate who possesses good stuff at times and could perhaps benefit from playing on a contender — though time is on their side, and they could always wait until the season starts to make a move for another starter if they can’t find the right fit this winter.