Gerrit Cole opting out of Yankees contract now a hot topic for all the wrong reasons

For fans out there who are unaware of Gerrit Cole's contract situation with the New York Yankees, here's a quick primer. The right-hander has an opt-out clause this offseason, which he actually just exercised. That could eventually make him a free agent.

But Cole still can't negotiate with other teams yet. The Yankees have until Monday at 5 p.m. ET to void Cole's opt out by adding one year and $36 million to his current contract. Right now, Cole has four years and $144 million left on his deal. The Yankees, by extension, would end this discussion by making it a five-year, $180 million contract from 2025-2029.

Conventional wisdom suggests the Yankees will make that easy move. In fact, reporters have pretty much treated it like a fait accompli. But after the team crashed out of the World Series in embarrassing fashion with Cole somehow being a point of criticism because of the defensive debacle in Game 5 despite his two very good starts, could the Yankees' mind be shifting? This organization's approval rating is at an all-time low, so who really knows?

Throw in the fact Cole is coming off an elbow injury that nearly derailed his entire 2024 season and his peripheral metrics taking a significant hit as a result, there could be slight fear on the Yankees' end over his longevity. Could this be the beginning of the back nine of his career as he heads into his age-34 season?

Then again, Cole just erased most doubt over that. He came alive towards the end of the year and then made five playoff starts, three of which were sterling. Plus, is it even possible for the Yankees to do better than a five-year, $180 million contract for a top-three pitcher in the game? Cole won the Cy Young in 2023 and then pitched like one when it mattered most. despite his unfavorable 2024.

But don't forget, the Yankees don't exactly spend their money in the most effective manner. Couldn't you see them sacrificing Cole's $36 million per year to ensure they can keep Juan Soto on a massive contract while hoping for the best with Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman and another, potential cheaper rotation addition like Max Fried or Blake Snell? Or maybe some sort of combination of Michael Wacha, Nathan Eovaldi, Yusei Kikuchi and Nick Martinez? It's doubtful and it's a nightmare, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.

What has doomed the Yankees since 2018 has been their offense going into "bust" mode when it matters most, in addition to a complete disregard for fundamentals and what feels like a weak team culture. Pitching has actually been their biggest strength. Defensive woes and situational hitting have done them in.

The reality is that the Yankees should pay Cole, add more talent around him (while re-signing Soto), and clean up the garbage on the margins with multiple guys playing out of position, an unbelievably weak bench, and a bullpen that lacks structure.

But this is how toxic the discourse has gotten because no fan trusts this organization any longer. We should be treating this as a no-brainer. It is a no-brainer. But the Yankees have made very easy decisions far too difficult in the past, so there's a realistic lane to discuss the possibility of it happening once again in ways we cannot comprehend.