The New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has confirmed that the club will be pursue both Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg in free agency this offseason, according to Andy Martino of SNY.
Given that the Yankees are in dire need of a frontline starter and that Cole and Strasburg are generally viewed as the two best pitchers on the market, this does not come as much of a surprise.
It should be noted that New York has shown reluctance in going after top-of-the-line starting pitchers over the years, but based on the fact the Yankees have lost to the pitching-heavy Houston Astros in two of their last three playoff appearances, they might opt to put their chips on the table this winter.
Cole is coming off of a spectacular 2019 campaign with the Astros in which he went 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA, allowing just 142 hits while racking up 326 strikeouts over 212.1 innings of work en route to his second straight All-Star appearance.
The 29-year-old grew up in Southern California rooting for the Yankees, which has led many to believe that New York and the Los Angeles Angels are the two frontrunners to land him.
Meanwhile, Strasburg just helped the Washington Nationals win their first World Series, and during the regular season, he went 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA, surrendering 161 hits while fanning 251 hitters across 209 frames.
What makes Strasburg a much riskier signing, however, is that he is two years older than Cole and has had a history of arm troubles that could certainly impact the type of contract he receives.
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