New York Yankees star Gerrit Cole was recently announced as the American League Cy Young winner. Cole was later asked a series of questions after winning the coveted award, via MLB. While being asked the questions, Cole made an interesting Shohei Ohtani admission.
“I look forward to facing the best,” Cole responded when asked which three batters he looks forward to facing. “I like facing George Springer, just a great challenge. Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, great challenge.”
Springer is a talented hitter and Trout has been one of the best players in baseball for years. But Shohei Ohtani is likely going to win the 2023 AL MVP and is currently the most sought-after free agent. There aren't many pitchers who look forward to facing Ohtani, but Gerrit Cole is clearly up for the challenge.
And although this was just a fun question-and-answer session, Cole's willingness to face Ohtani and other superstars speaks to his mindset.
Gerrit Cole is a superstar
Cole didn't win the Cy Young award by accident. He's arguably been the best pitcher in baseball over the past few years. Yet, this was surprisingly his first Cy Young award.
The 33-year-old deserved it without question after previously finishing second twice in Cy Young voting. In fact, he had five top five Cy Young finishes prior to the 2023 season.
Cole led the league in ERA during the '23 campaign with a mark of 2.63. He also stepped up for a Yankees' pitching rotation that was decimated by injuries. Cole led the league in both innings pitched (209) and total games started (33).
Additionally, Gerrit Cole pitched two shutouts and recorded 222 strikeouts. It was a dominant year for the Yankees ace.
Now the question turns to Cole's team. New York missed the playoffs in 2024, and the roster has questions that need answering. It will be interesting to see how the Yankees approach free agency in an effort to build a contender around Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge.
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