Houston Astros Deemed Top Landing Spot for Reunion With New York Yankees Ace

The Houston Astros rivalry with the New York Yankees would grow even bigger if this deal went down.

Aug 27, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. / Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros rotation has already taken a massive hit this season due to injuries. Looking ahead to the offseason, they could take an even bigger hit with players departing.

Yusei Kikuchi, who they traded for during the deadline, hits free agency. Justin Verlander will also hit the open market. Among some of the other free agency decisions they have to make, the Astros are in a tough position.

If they keep Kikuchi around on a favorable deal and a one or two-year deal for Verlander that doesn't require them to spend much, they should be in the mix to land another high-level arm.

There will be plenty on the market, and while Houston hasn't historically been a hot place for free agents due to their existing core talent already in place, that could change this winter.

One pitcher who could be available was one of the best pitchers in Astros franchise history when he was a member of the team. Right-hander Gerrit Cole, who left for the rival New York Yankees, has an opt-out in his contract this offseason.

Cole's situation is much different than most other opt-out scenarios. The Yankees could trigger a club option, which would allow them to keep the right-hander. However, it'd add another year and more money to his nine-year contract.

If New York wants to keep Juan Soto around, Cole might be too expensive. If that's the case, he'll be searching for a new home, and a reunion in Houston makes perfect sense.

So much so that Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report listed the Astros as the No. 3 landing spot for the superstar.

"Who's up for a reunion? Gerrit Cole had a phenomenal two-year run with the Astros in 2018-19. He made 65 regular-season starts with a 2.68 ERA, plus seven postseason starts with a 2.17 ERA. It's only because teammate Justin Verlander won 21 games in 2019 that Cole (20-5, 2.50 ERA, 326 K) didn't win the Triple Crown that year. Simply put, his dominance with Houston is why he got such a massive contract from the Yankees."

Cole could be Houston's ace for the foreseeable future and the reason they have the upper hand in a series against the Yankees.

While it'd cost them a ton, they know better than anyone that he's worth the price. Cole posted a 2.63 ERA a year ago, winning his second Cy Young Award. He's dealt with some injuries in 2024 but has a 3.86 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 63.0 innings pitched.

While not as dominant, he's still an elite arm.