Gerrit Cole will probably be asked about Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon and the rest of the rotation behind him more than once, as there are question marks regarding it this season.
It stems from flashbacks of the Yanks not having much consistency after Cole in 2020, with James Paxton out because of injury, Masahiro Tanaka pitching up-and-down all year and other young arms trying to get their feet wet in the league.
The first of the queries came on Thursday during Cole’s first media session at spring training in Tampa, where he was asked about his potential concerns with the rotation. He simply said it’s not his job to worry about that.
“I don’t have any concerns,” Cole said with a smile. “It’s not really my job to be concerned about the other guys. I’m just here to root them on and be a good teammate. So, the work ethic is there. The discipline is there. The talent is there. Obviously, they’re going to have to overcome some adversity and they’re in the process of doing that themselves right now. So, the most important thing for me is to be by their side and encourage them.”
And it’s easy for Cole to do that with Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon, the two pitchers expected to follow him in the rotation. Taillon, for instance, was a close friend and former roommate of Cole’s during their time with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Winning two Cy Youngs in the past, Kluber is also someone who Cole watched and studied coming into the league.
But the questions about these two after both sustaining injuries over the past couple seasons are warranted. However, Cole sees what they are capable of doing in New York.
“Corey’s a true craftsman. Always enjoyed watching him pitch I think along with quite a lot of people. I think Jameson is in a really good spot. Really encouraged,” Cole said.
Cole also wants to point out the rest of the rotation options and young arms the Yankees have. Like everyone else in the organization, he realizes the depth on the roster – something that some teams can’t say they have.
“You want Monty (Jordan Montgomery) to take another step forward. He’s an easy guy to root for. And you want Jame-O to do it as well,” Cole said. “We have a lot of young talent right behind him. And everyone is pulling for Corey to reestablish that back-to-back Cy Young form. It’s a really enjoyable rotation and a lot of potential.”
All of that potential is headed by the guy manager Aaron Boone called “the complete package” just a little while after Cole spoke. He proved to be the team’s bonafide ace last season, living up to that megadeal he received in free agency.
“He is the complete package. He is a superstar in the sport and he certainly has the talent to deliver the goods,” Boone said. “When you couple that with a real keen understanding of who he is, how to apply information, how he’s probably grown in that understanding over the course of his career, you just see a refined, polished, pitcher and person with special stuff. It’s why he’s the best, or certainly one of the best, pitchers in the sport.”
As Cole goes, the Yankees go. But to go where the Yankees want – the World Series – it’s going to take more than one of the best in the game to do it. He can only pitch every five days after all.
But Cole isn’t at all pessimistic about the rotation as some may be. He sees two guys in Kluber and Taillon already putting the work in to prove doubters wrong, not to mention the other depth pieces at the back end of the rotation.