TAMPA, Fla. — When Juan Soto left the New York Yankees’ clubhouse well after midnight following Game 5 of the World Series, none of his teammates knew whether they’d share the same locker room a few months later. That uncertainty extended to Gerrit Cole, who, like Soto, is arguably one of Scott Boras’ most high-profile clients.
Shortly after the Houston Astros lost Game 7 of the 2019 World Series, Cole donned a Boras Corp. hat while he fielded questions about his looming free agency. The star pitcher’s answers that night all but assured his time in Houston was coming to an end. Soto wasn’t as blatant as Cole was with his intentions, but he followed a similar path by suggesting that the Yankees held zero advantage in free agency, and it didn’t matter that he enjoyed a career year in The Bronx.
When Soto’s free agency sweepstakes intensified, Cole’s hopes of the Yankees retaining the right fielder remained neutral.
“I can’t say I was surprised because I didn’t go into it with any expectations,” Cole said on Wednesday. “I only got to know Juan for one year. He’s a magnificent player and a great teammate. Juan is going to make the best decision for Juan. While we were going into it, it’s hard to say what exactly is going on from my perspective. I just tried to remain indifferent and not get my hopes up one way or the other.”
Cole wasn’t alone in not having any idea of where Soto would play baseball in 2025 and beyond. All season, Soto was tight-lipped about his upcoming free agency. Even Soto’s closest Yankees teammates, like Gleyber Torres and Oswaldo Cabrera, could not read where the slugger was leaning.
Cole gets in early work during the team’s practice on Wednesday. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
In the end, Soto signed a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets. If he opts out after the 2029 season, the Mets could void the option and increase the payout, bringing the total value of the contract to $805 million. It’s an unfathomable number to comprehend, even for Cole, who, after the 2019 season, signed the richest contract for a pitcher. Cole’s $324 million in guaranteed money stood as the largest payout until it was eclipsed by Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325 million in 2024.
But not even Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract, which is largely in deferred money, came close to what Mets owner Steve Cohen handed to his new star outfielder.
“It’s large. It’s a very large amount of money,” Cole said with a smile stretched across his face. “It’s hard to underestimate great players and hard to underestimate Scott (Boras), too. He does a good job at what he does. It’s a large number and a historic contract.
“It’s good for all players. It’s good for the game. Obviously, the Mets and the Mets’ fanbase is thrilled about it, too. It was exciting. I think the anticipation was always about how high it’s going to get. That’s definitely exciting.”
Cole spent a decade as a union rep with Major League Baseball’s Players Association before stepping aside in 2023. He’s been one of baseball’s most outspoken individuals throughout his career when it comes to issues centered around the players. Some Yankees fans may be peeved to see Cole celebrating their crosstown foe signing away one of the Yankees’ best players, but this is the same pitcher who once thanked Marvin Miller, the first executive director of the MLBPA, and Curt Flood, who challenged the reserve clause and brought on the advent of free agency in 1975, in his introductory news conference with the Yankees.
Cole, who along with Aaron Judge meets frequently with Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner to discuss clubhouse concerns, said he’s pleased with how the front office pivoted this offseason in signing Max Fried, Paul Goldschmidt and trading for Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams.
“The beauty of the Yankees is the ability to go out and fill the roster and fill the spots with a goal of getting back to the World Series and winning the World Series,” Cole said. “They’ve done as good of a job as you could have asked. I think we feel very confident in the additions we’ve made. You have former MVPs — two of them — a former Rookie of the Year, one of the best closers in the game, and one of the best left-handed pitchers in the game. It’s hard not to say those additions made us better coming from the fact that after we lost Juan and then we made those additions. It’s big shoes to fill. You got to be proud of the organization for what they’ve done, and you have to be excited about the additions because they’re really great players and people.”
As for his own contract situation, Cole opted out shortly after the World Series ended. The Yankees could have voided his option and added an additional year — which would have been his age-38 season — instead, the club declined to do so. Cole could have elected to become a free agent but decided to remain with the organization.
“The intention wasn’t to do anything other than stay,” Cole said. “I was happy to be where my feet were back in Yankee Stadium.”
(Top photo of Soto and Cole in 2024: New York Yankees/Getty Images)
