One of the best pitchers in New York Yankees history almost didn’t make it to the team on the first go. Gerrit Cole, the man with the highest single-season strikeout rate for Yankees in MLB to date, refused the team’s offer of drafting him back in his high school days. He has been a Yankees fan through and through since he was a kid. However, that wasn’t reason enough to let go of control over his prospective future at once. Cole never said that he would never take a chance at being a Yankee. He just wasn’t ready back then.

Cole’s story took a beautiful turn when he stepped into Yankee Stadium almost a decade later. It was after he signed a $324 million, nine-year contract with them. “I’m here,” he beamed in his new Yankees jersey, thinking back to the times when he dreamed of this exact moment turning into reality: “I’ve always been here.” Four seasons and 515 hits later, the fans couldn’t agree more. Cole’s intimate history with the Bronx Bombers is something the world needs to know about.

Gerrit Cole: The Star made it to the Yankees in 2019

On December 16, 2019, the Yankees finally got their dream-come-true version of the story realized after signing Cole for a $324 million contract for nine years. As the Pinstripes announced the initiation of their dream pitcher, Cole held up a poster sent in by his parents upon hearing the news; it read, “YANKEE FAN TODAY TOMORROW FOREVER”—the exact sign that Cole held up 18 years ago in a 2001 Yankees World Series game. Not only did it symbolize his and his team’s wishes finally being fulfilled, but it also made Yankees fans all around the world fall in love with him at a moment’s notice.

Cole stepped onto the MLB scene in 2011 after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He kept playing in the minor leagues until the Pirates decided to bring him to the big leagues following the injuries of Wandy Rodríguez and James McDonald in 2013. In his MLB debut, Cole struck out the first batter he faced in just three pitches, the last of which ran at a terrifying 99mph. He went on to play for the Pirates till 2017, after which they traded Cole to the Houston Astros after they reached the end of Cole’s $6.75 million one-year contract.

During his stay with the Astros, Cole led the AL with a high 2.50 ERA, leading the major leagues with a 39.9% SO rate. He made history by becoming the first full-time starting pitcher in MLB history to maintain an average of more than one and a half strikeouts per inning in a season. All this time, the entire MLB was keenly watching the brand-new pitcher riling up one storm after another on the diamond.

His Past and Yankees Fandom Since Childhood

Gerrit Alan Cole was studying at Orange Lutheran High School and playing as their pitcher back in 2008. The Yankees came knocking at his door with a contract offer worth millions of dollars; Cole and his father, Mark, refused to accept it at that point. They decided that Cole should pursue studying at UCLA instead, to ensure that he gets the chance to explore all possible career options instead of settling for the first one that came seeking him.

According to Bleacher Report, they didn’t even give the Bronx Bombers a chance to make a proper financial offer. “We didn’t need to hear an offer; it would just be giving them the wrong impression,” Mark said. Gerrit and his father took their sweet time to compare all the pros and cons before settling down at UCLA. He went on to play baseball for his college as well; the UCLA Bruins still regard him as one of the best collegiate-level pitchers to play in the country to date.

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Cole’s favorite Yankee in his childhood years was Andy Pettitte. His father, Mark Cole, has been a Yankees fan since his childhood days in Syracuse, NY. “If they don’t let us in for an opening day, I’m going to put the radio on outside the gate and just sit there and listen,”, Max told his son after his initiation into the team. Decades of fandom later, the Cole family’s fascination with the Yankees seems to be flourishing. Their in-house slugger was here to make a mark on his favorite team, and it shows. How does Cole think he is faring on the team so far?

The New York Journey So Far: How Gerrit Cole Sees It

“That was special for me,” Cole mused to Yes Network after scoring his 50 Yankees win. “Having good nights in the Bronx… it doesn’t get much better than that,”; the 6x All-Star said, stating that he used to dream about being a part of the team when he was a kid. He printed out pictures of the ‘Core Four’ (Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada) on his old Mac. He used to staple those up his wall despite his dad yelling at him for wasting ink.

“It’s a dream come true”—that’s how the 2x AL ERA leader looks at his time with the Yankees. “It’s an experience that I’m super grateful for. It keeps you grounded; it gives you a sense of self-worth… set an example for him,” he reflected on his time at the team along with his son, 3-year-old Caden. The little one seems to have a lot to learn from his father’s form and principles on the field.

From Cy Young to the World Series: A Look Into Cole’s Future Wishlist

Gerrit Cole has been leading the American League in fWARs since 2020, with an average score of 10.1. His WAR for this season alone has been at 7.4. He had a .789 win rate in the 2023 playoffs, with a 2.63 ERA and 222 strikeouts. One of the best and most consistent pitchers in MLB to date, Cole was selected for Cy Young contention once before, in 2019. He lost it to Justin Verlander of Astros fame back then. Now, the 2023 All-Star Cole has been named the finalist for the best pitcher award once more. This marks Cole’s third time finishing a season among the top three pitchers in the American League.

Despite having a bright and unswerving career, Cole has not had the chance to win a World Series championship yet. However, he doesn’t seem to be too far off from that dream. Cole stated that he and Aaron Judge are going to have an active role in fixing the lineup. The dual pillar of strength in the Yankees clubhouse often has monthly meetings with Hal Steinbrenner. He wishes to have a better representation of the Yankees organization, both on the field and inside the clubhouse.

Read More: “Get This Man a WS Title”: Yankees Ace Gerrit Cole Explores a New Sport in Another Heartwarming Moment With Son

Fans cannot wait to see Cole bring his visions to fruition on the diamond. How far do you think he will take the team in the upcoming Yankees season? Let’s hear your thoughts on this in the comments below!

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