Yankees Superstar Linked To Red Sox In Devastating Move For New York

Will the Yankees retain the star hurler this winter?

Sep 6, 2020; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; An empty Fenway Park is seen during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

It would be extremely surprising if the 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole wasn't taking the field with the New York Yankees in 2025.

Cole can opt out of his current deal with the Yankees but they can nullify the decision by adding an extra year at the end of the contract. It has been reported that Cole will utilize the opt-out in the contract, but it would be shocking if New York decided to let its best pitcher go.

The overwhelmingly most likely option for Cole will be to take the mound as a member of the Yankees next season. If somehow things change, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller put together a list of the most likely landing spots for Cole and had the rival Boston Red Sox at No. 2.

"We spent the entire past winter waiting for the Red Sox to do something to improve their pitching staff, but it never happened," Miller said. "They did sign Lucas Giolito, only to very shortly thereafter trade Chris Sale. And after what is likely going to be a third consecutive year both missing the postseason and allowing the most runs among (American League) East teams, it's beyond time to do something about this pitching staff...

"It has been more than a decade since these loathed rivals took a free agent from each other. Signing Jacoby Ellsbury in December 2013 ended up being a terrible decision for the Yankees, but that's the most recent one in either direction...Having one of the best pitchers in baseball go straight from five years with the Yankees to five years with the Red Sox would be fun theater, but that's hardly the reason Boston lands near the top of this list. The Red Sox need an ace-level pitcher, and there's no question they have the room in the budget to make it happen."

If somehow the Yankees lost Cole to the Red Sox, that would not only be disastrous but borderline a fireable offense for the front office.

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