With the Yankees dumping $26 million in salary next season after cutting Jacoby Ellsbury, their mentality towards splashing big-money on a premium starting pitcher could be battered. Factor in the Giancarlo Stanton contract and his injury-plagued 2019 season and unloading $30 million for an option like Gerrit Cole begins to seem like a bad idea.
However, Cole’s injury history is thin, and signing him would immediately bolster the starting pitching rotation and make them one of the best in baseball. General manager Brian Cashman shouldn’t be worried about the luxury tax if he’s keen on competing for a championship next season.