Cole wants a Yankees championship run
TAMPA, Fla. – A whole lot has changed since Gerrit Cole’s first Yankees spring training in February 2020, for what would be a pandemic-shortened season.
What hasn’t changed, as Cole enters year five as a Yankee and year 12 in the majors, is his pursuit of that up-to-now elusive world championship.
Cole’s 2023 season was personally rewarding, culminating in his first Cy Young Award.
But that unanimous selection in the American League came during an 82-80 season. The Yankees posted a 23-10 record in Cole’s starts and 59-70 with anyone else. For the first time since 2016, the Yankees missed the postseason.
“Obviously, ‘disaster’ was an appropriate word but we kept pushing all the way to the end,” Cole said Thursday, following his first official bullpen session at Yankees camp.
Players rallied to continue the club’s three-decade-long streak of above-.500 seasons “when the greater goals kind of faded away.”
Entering 2024, “I’d say there’s a level of determination, a level of focus that maybe has a little bit of an edge to it.” Cole said. “The bitter finish “is still pretty fresh in our mind. Hopefully, we use it as motivation.”
Staying healthy, they hope
In a perfect pinstriped world, Yoshinobu Yamamoto would have a locker next to Cole in the super upgraded home clubhouse at Steinbrenner Field. But the coveted Japanese free agent starter signed a $325 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Yankees pivoted to Marcus Stroman.
Cole said he was excited to have Stroman on board. He called Stroman “one of the highest and fiercest competitors we have in this game,” with a profile that’s “a lot different than a lot of the guys we have, which I think is important.”
As Cole noted, four of the Yanks’ starters have been MLB All-Stars, and there’s talent moving up the ranks in Chase Hampton and Will Warren.
If Stroman is producing high groundball rates, and if Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes have bounce-back seasons, with No. 5 starter Clarke Schmidt making additional strides, Cole is leading a strong staff.
But those are a lot of ifs, starting with health.
“Certainly, there were injuries that were outside of the normal realm that impacted us,” Cole said of the 2023 team, referencing Aaron Judge’s costly collision with the Dodger Stadium outfield wall.
“With that said, we get injured too much as a group. We need to improve,” he said – starting with offseason preparation.
To that end, Rodon has arrived in better physical shape after dealing with forearm and back issues last year. And he’s already thrown live in camp, as has Cortes, coming off two injured list stints due to rotator cuff inflammation.
Calling Rodon a “tremendous competitor,” Cole expects the $162 million lefty “to handle his business like a pro, which he is.
“He’s been down here (in Tampa) for a while, and that speaks to his dedication and desire to improve on last year.”
Preparing for a title run
At 33 years old, Cole’s window for winning team titles isn’t as wide as it was in 2020.
Still, “it’s not like I don’t have a contingency plan” for remaining a frontline starter into his later 30s, he said.
“The main goal is to maintain the stuff as long as possible,” said Cole. “I’ve pitched out of a lot of jams without my No. 1 weapon. Regardless of whether the stuff holds or starts to dip, I still have a lot of options.”
Cole increased the use of his cutter in 2023, and the Yankees have more offensive power in 2024, led by the addition of slugger Juan Soto.
Cole has room on the mantle for a second Cy Young award.
But winning a world championship is “really at the top of the list,” he said. “It’s on the forefront of your mind every time you’re preparing.”