Yankees: 3 Players Who Should Sit Out Shortened Season

1. Gerrit Cole

A 50-game season could have Gerrit Cole reconsidering his participation.

Yankee ace Gerrit Cole is going to have a lot of thinking to do, as the 2020 season picture finally clarifies itself.

After starting with Pittsburgh and learning to dominate in Houston, Cole’s realized his dream of financial security with his boyhood team. He’s a Yankee fan today, tomorrow, forever, with a contract that ensures as such through 2028.

He’s also a soon-to-be father; his wife Amy is due this summer.

If Cole opts to sit out the 2020 season, he’ll be missing a chance at October glory with his chosen team for the very first time — but then again, the Bronx faithful might not even be there to cheer him on.

This really boils down to: What does Cole want, and what do the Yankees want?

There are many legitimate reasons for him to securely reconsider his position and help keep his family risk-free. Would New York rather have his age-38 season than an abbreviated version of his age-29 campaign? Does the potential pending lockout following the 2021 season render this whole thing moot? At some point, Cole and the team should get together to share any potential concerns.

Suddenly, there are many motivations at play here, and it may be worth keeping Cole bubble-wrapped and gaining an extra year of control, rather than rushing him back up to full speed into potential injury for 50 games this year.

Of course, we’re quite certain that Yankee fans — starved for baseball AND their new ace — would not take kindly to that idea.