Fansided

Top 25 MLB free agents for 2019

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 27: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches during Game 5 of the 2019 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sunday, October 27, 2019 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 27: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches during Game 5 of the 2019 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sunday, October 27, 2019 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

1. Gerrit Cole

No one in this year’s free-agent class made themselves more money the past two seasons than Gerrit Cole did with the Houston Astros. The 29-year-old right-hander wasn’t exactly one of those “distressed assets” the Astros love when they acquired him from the Pittsburgh Pirates before the 2018 season, but his stock was definitely trending sideways. Cole was just 19-22 with a 4.12 ERA his final two seasons in Pittsburgh.

Since the trade, there have been few, if any, better pitchers in Major League Baseball.

Cole’s two seasons in Houston were nothing short of dominant. He went 35-10 with a 2.68 ERA and piled up the highest strikeout total in the league. Cole’s 2019 season was one for the ages. He went 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and 326 strikeouts. Cole ended the year on a 16-0 run with a 1.78 ERA in just under 150 innings with 13.9 strikeouts per-nine.

The run extended the entire postseason, with Cole winning four more games and recording a 1.72 ERA in five starts and 36.2 innings with 47 strikeouts. He allowed multiple runs in only one of his playoff starts and struck out 15 in 7.2 innings of Game 2 of the ALDS. Cole was at his best against the best the league had to offer.

The Astros are unlikely to be able to re-sign Cole and remain under the luxury-tax threshold. It is hard to envision them paying three pitchers over $30 million each. The right-hander has also hinted at wanting to return to the West Coast, where he grew up. The sweepstakes appears to be the Los Angeles Angels’ to lose at this point, with the Yankees making an attempt to convince Cole to come east for a few extra million.

Next. Will the Angels add elite arms in free agency?. dark

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