Yankees: CC Sabathia has talked to Gerrit Cole about playing in New York “many times”

CC Sabathia’s career is over, but he’s still trying to help the Yankees win a championship in 2020. On an episode of his podcast, “R2C2 is Uninterrupted”, the future Hall of Famer says he’s already talked to free-agent ace Gerrit Cole many times about playing in New York.

During the season CC expressed interest in taking a front-office role with the Yankees after retirement but for now it sounds like he’s playing the role of a recruiter. Who better to start with than Cole, the top free-agent prize on the market this offseason.

Cole could be the missing piece that helps put New York over the top in 2020, but many are predicting that he’ll end up signing with the LA Angels because of his hometown roots in Orange County, California. However, the Yankees are definitely in the mix and if Hal Steinbrenner is willing to open up his checkbook and pay him whatever he wants they certainly have a shot according to CC.

"“If you give that motherf—er enough money, he’s going to want to come here,” he said. “I am speaking from experience. … Me and Gerrit Cole have spoken at length many times about me pitching as a Yankee as a West Coast Guy. This is crazy, this is shaping out… like the same offseason I had.”"

If you remember back during the 2008 offseason CC was the top free-agent starter available and like Cole, he grew up on the west coast, in Vallejo, CA. Many expected he would also end up signing with a team closer to home but when he met with the Yankees he quickly opened up to the idea of playing in New York. After they offered him a huge seven-year, $161M contract he knew that’s where he wanted to be and the rest, is history. Hopefully, a similar scenario plays out with Cole.

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Cole is likely to set records this offseason with his new contract no matter where he signs, but of all the teams expected to pursue him, it’s fair to say the Yankees have the best chance to win a championship next season.

His former team the Astros likely won’t empty the bank to bring him back and if he signed with the Angels they still might not even make the playoffs. Cole is a fierce competitor and after falling just a win shy of winning the World Series this past season he’s going to be hungrier than ever for a title in 2020. So if the offers he receives from the Yanks and the Angels are equal that could be the deciding factor that gives the Bombers the edge to land him.

The Yankees obviously have to pay up if they want him, but if they do I like their chances of convincing him to sign, just as they did with CC 11 years ago.