The Pirates are unlikely to sign right-hander Gerrit Cole to a contract extension during the offseason, sources told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Cole and agent Scott Boras could be amenable to a three-year pact that would take him through arbitration, but the Pirates aren’t interested in that, according to Biertempfel. An agreement that would buy out some of Cole’s free agent years is also improbable, Biertempfel reports. With no deal coming, Cole will make his first trip through arbitration over the winter and could hit free agency after the 2019 campaign.
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Cole, whom the Pirates chose first overall in the 2011 draft, has been mostly excellent in the major leagues since debuting in 2013. However, Pittsburgh is wary of his injury history, per Biertempfel. Cole was on the disabled list twice in 2014 thanks to shoulder fatigue and lat tightness, and the 26-year-old tossed just 116 innings this season while dealing with multiple injuries. Cole had a rib issue that bothered him in spring training, and he then went on the DL three different times during the season. Two of those stints were the result of right elbow inflammation, with the second forcing the Bucs to shut him down for the year in mid-September.
Before the season began, Cole squabbled with the Pirates over financial compensation. The team renewed Cole’s salary for $541K, a $10K raise over what he collected in 2014, but only after threatening to slash his pay to the $507K league minimum when he asked for a raise.
“When you perform at a level that draws the praise of management, teammates, coaches and fans, you expect appropriate compensation. I understand the business of this game, but it is hard to accept that a year of performance success does not warrant an increase in pay,” Cole said at the time.
Cole was superb in 2015, his first All-Star season, as he established career highs in innings (208), ERA (2.60), BB/9 (1.9) and swinging strike rate (10.2 percent). Those numbers dipped this year, though, with Cole posting personal worsts in each category. All told, he recorded a 3.88 ERA, 2.79 BB/9 and 8.5 percent swinging strike rate. Cole also set a career low in K/9 (7.6), down significantly from the 8.74 figure he registered in 2015.
While Cole’s output wasn’t great this season, his numbers across 579 career major league frames are stellar. He’ll benefit from his overall performance in arbitration, where ERA (3.23) and wins (47) are important factors. MLBTR projects a $4.2MM arbitration award for Cole.
The Sun rising in the west tomorrow morning is more likely than Cole and Boras agreeing to any type of extension with the Pirates.
Clubs only pay for what you did recently. To get any consideration, Cole needs to return to last year’s form and get in perfect shape to avoid the DL.
You want more money, sign a contract.
That’s what contracts are for. You agree to take 500k/year? Take 500k/year, get more money next contract.
That’s how it works. You don’t work at McDonalds where you can be fired for no reason and it stands that you have to argue for every dollar you make. You’re clocking 500k/year with a guaranteed contract. Trying to make the same sort of argument as a future millionaire sounds exceptionally petty.
All baseball money is guaranteed
It sounds petty? Teams routinely award players who outperform their rookie contract.
I agree 100%.
That’s the worst comment ever. Baseballs arbitration process is ridiculous. A pitcher of Coles ability would get over 100 mill as a free agent. The Bucs own him for 3 more seasons and won’t have to pay him what he’s actually worth.
It’s true he won’t make what he’s worth for three seasons (assuming he doesn’t flame out due to injury), but history shows us that if he keeps performing at the level he has, he will then likely be overpaid in the later part of his career. I suppose in some very odd way that kind of balances out.
Cole shouldn’t sign with the Pirates anyway they are just going to low ball him & then never spend money to win & 1 of the wild card spots dont count as making the playoffs!
Tell that to all of the wild card teams that have won the World Series since its introduction.
Vedder … You did not understand RoadRunner. The winner of the wildcard game makes the playoffs that is what it is for. Thus the loser has not made the playoffs. Thus, one of the wildcard teams do not make the playoff like he said.
no way he would ever get that much dust44
have you SEEN next year’s pitching market?
the top arm is looking like it’s gonna be Andrew Cashner…. you’d better believe Cole would take 9 figures easy
I disagree , I think Hellickson and Nova are the top two arms on the market plus rich hill.
sure, we’ll go with that
point is still Gerrit Cole is objectively better than anybody presumed to be on the market…. by a considerable margin
I hate to be that guy, but I believe there is an error when you mentioned Cole’s all star season – 2015, not 2014.
Here is the thing. If players want more money than the minimum, they just threaten to walk out. Problem is, MLB is a collective and there would be enormous pressure brought to be on the owners of the club the player walked out on not to increase the salary.. Sets a bad precedent.
However, thats what unions are for. MLBPA should be trying to change things. Back in the day when players had a chance to be a FA after year 1, Miller caved. He thought 3 years would be best, MLB owners wanted 10, and they settled at 6 years. However, with all the service time loopholes, that 6 years has become 8-9 years, and with owners delaying the clock, many players become FA at a time when the experts say he is in decline, so dont get a chance to market themselves at peak value.
MLBPA has become too weak , and don’t represent the majority of players interests, just the few stars. That makes no sense
Are you SERIOUS?? MLBPA is one of the strongest unions in the world. Here is a process to where you have to EARN your guaranteed, BIG contract.
@tsolid, I agree that the MLBPA is incredibly strong but 2pete brings up a great point that service time manipulation has ruined the ability of the players to cash in at their peak value.
Service time needs to be looked at and adjusted to better reflect the 6 years that a player has with his first team. Call this a little draconion but they should find a way to allow the commissioner to punish teams on the based on mere suspicion of service time manipulation. Put the onus on teams to objectively justify WHY they are holding a player in the minor leagues when his stats suggest he is ready.
That would put a stop to a lot of these reasons such as “he needs a little more seasoning in the minors before he is ready.”
Manfred calls out the team. The FO must then prove why they are keeping player XYZ in the minors. Manfred reviews the facts. Manfred agrees with the team – fine. Manfred doesn’t agree and rules against the team, the team can still keep the player in the minors but he will begin to accrue service time. Something to that effect.
I think he should go to Boston, serious closer problem
I would blow it up Cole and his agent are only gonna get harder to deal with as they get closer to FA. Can you imagine what they could get for him right at this point in time. Then make a move on McCutchen in those 2 moves it could set you up with about 8 or do prospects. Meadows is about ready to step up and with McCutchen’s salary coming off allocate that money to sign a couple FA sp. trade Cole to the Red Sox and McCutchen to the Dodgers I believe both would be interested.
What are your sizes….remember, pinstripes are slimming
Need to package McCutchen and Cole to trade to the Yankees. Gardner, Cessa, Frazier and Green should get it done. Gardner will be more productive than McCutchen, Cessa and Green are potential #2 pitchers and Frazier is a top prospect.
Not even close
I don’t know which side your in favor of, but Cole is a young-ish ace with three years of control left. You might need that package alone to get Cole, and even that might not be enough. Plus the Pirates have no need for Gardner since they have really good OF prospects.
There’s no way we are giving up Frazier ….. maybe Gardner, Tate, Wilky Garcia, McKinney and Cessa for Cole and McCutch
The Yankees very well might not want to give up Frazier in any trades, but there is no way you could get a player like Cole without a prospect like Frazier.
Pirates best approach may be to go through with arbitration and then trade Cole later this offseason. They won’t want to pay the escalating arb-salaries, and won’t really be able to buy him out on an extension without paying close to market value. Monetize the asset.
Dear Gerrit Cole: Welcome to the real world where you don’t get paid according to your abilities. And that $500k+ you make a year – more than most Americans make in 10 years. Let’s see, then you get meal money, top of the line health care without ridiculous deductibles, the opportunity to sign endorsement deals, and you get to play a great game like baseball for a living. In a few years you’ll sign a big free agent deal and you will make more money in one year than most generations of families earn combined in their lifetime. Be thankful of the opportunities that you have and the fact that our culture places more value on entertainment than it does science, education, and the blue collar grunts that make the world go round.
You mad??
Wrong site for that kind of whining, dude. No one here cares.
So if you deserve a raise for drawing praise from management and teammates is he willing to take a pay cut for low performance?
Matt Adams, Weaver, Bader, Lyons
Let’s try that again. Adams, Bader, Weaver, Lyons
SnackHunt42,
Given the Yankees seeming commitment to trimming payroll, and getting younger to potentially start their next playoff run, there’s no way they trade a potential talent like Frazier in a group for two players who showed declining stats for the past year.
They’ve worked too hard to get to where they are to trade two young pitchers on a staff there pitching is a bit thin, and Frazier won’t be moved in anything but a blockbuster of a trade and with both these guys coming off less than stellar years, highly improbable.
Not saying that something can’t be worked out, but I don;t think McCutchen is of interest with all the young outfield talent in the minors, and Cole was originally drafted by the Yankees so they have a pretty good idea as to how he might fit.
I agree with Gerrit,
Quote, “When you perform at a level that draws the praise of management, teammates, coaches, and Fans, you expect appropriate compensation. I understand the business of this game.”. I agree but one year does not guarantee anything. preform on a consistent basis and you’ll be rewarded.
I laughed at the mention of a deal covering only the arbitration years. A deal covering only those three years would never happen because it would heavily favor one side. The Pirates would only want to sign Cole to a deal that fell below Cole’s projected arb salary (or at the same rate if they feel he would outperform it) while Cole would only want to sign a deal that would exceed those projections.
I honestly can see some kind of Deal With Cole and Cutch for Sale …….. If the Pirates are going to be in the Wild Card with Cubs rising they need a True Ace …… They can’t afford to give up 3 or 4 runs while facing Bummgardner Syndagard etc
Who could the pirates get for Cole + Cutch
I’d say almost no chance he extends past his rookie contract and heads out west to be closer to home when his rookie deal is up. Unless I absolutely loved the town i’m in, I would do the same.
As far has his pay.. he can STFD (and he pretty much has). His record setting signing bonus easily makes up for the 10 grand or so the’re squabbling about. And frankly as good as Cole is… He hasn’t lived up to it. Yeah pretty good pitcher most of the time but only averaging 154 innings over 3 complete seasons. He stays healthy this season and performs closer to 2015 than 2016.. he is going to get mad money.