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Houston Astros: Team should work to extend Gerrit Cole’s contract

By Brian K. Patterson

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 14: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros delivers the pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game Two of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on October 14, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 14: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros delivers the pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game Two of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on October 14, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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There are a few question marks with the Houston Astros starting pitching in 2019 but to alleviate that, the team can extend Gerrit Cole now. Why? Look.

The Houston Astros were ousted from the postseason after a stinging 4-1 series loss to the Boston Red Sox.  I’m sure few of us fans expected for the Houston Astros postseason to turn out that way but it is what it is.

This team will make a strong return in 2019 but with the Houston Astros having seven free agents on the docket, it’s going to be difficult to keep this team together as we know it.  And as a result of that, the Houston Astros‘ brass is quietly admonishing that this team will have to take a slight step back.

There’s a tremendous amount of talent that this team has on the current roster as well as on the farm but with the strong possibility that the Houston Astros are going to allow Marwin Gonzalez, the best utility man in the game right now, walk goes to show how rough it’s going to be to replace a guy like him.

Dallas Keuchel, one of the few mainstays of the rough rebuilding years for the Houston Astros is too a free agent and there will likely be challenges in this team retaining him despite his ERA soaring year-over-year to 3.74.  His inning count per season — usually at the oft-measurable 200 — hasn’t a budged a bit despite his injuries at times so he’ll have value out on the market.  Keuchel pitched 204.2 innings in 2018.

That makes the pitching staff even more uncertain as time goes on but I’m positive that the franchise has thought about this and carefully vetted what the next plan of action is.

Here’s what should be Priority No. 1 — extending Gerrit Cole‘s contract.

Cole has proven that he was one of the most dominant pitchers in the American League last season  — let alone in MLB — and should be compensated as such.  Rather than have him play out his final arbitration year with the team, why don’t they just buy it out and extend him for a few more seasons?

That way, it provides stability to a starting pitching staff that’s going to look mighty different after 2019 when Justin Verlander becomes a free agent.  Whether the Astros decide to try to retain him or Verlander decides to hang it up while on top, locking up Cole will alleviate some of the worries that are up ahead.

To put things in perspective, Cole’s 2018 2.88 ERA and 5.3 WAR are good for 4th and 6th in the

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AL.  His 1.03 WHIP ranked 4th among pitchers in the league this season as well.

Let’s go on with this — 12.4 K/9 (1st), games started (33) (1st), 4.31 K/BB (6th), 0.854 HR/9 (4th).  Is that enough to get your attention on how incredibly special this man was on the bump this season?

If that won’t get your attention, I don’t know what will.

Any way, Cole, 28, is represented by high-priced sports agent Scott Boras so I’m not sure if he’ll let the Houston Astros get off that easy by locking him in for a few more seasons.  He’d likely want Cole to play out this season, then hit the market and have the Astros as one of the many bidders for his services.

But it doesn’t hurt for the Astros to at least check into it.  I’d be willing to pay Cole between $17 to $20 million per season on a four-year pact, which likely be his pay on his new deal whenever that is negotiated.

I don’t think the Astros should table this discussion until the end of 2019 but bring it the forefront right now.  It’s prudent and hopefully the team can net some savings by locking him up with a lucrative deal for now.

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But ultimately, it’s not my money, it’s Jim Crane’s so we’ll have to see how this pans out.  It’s important for you to keep an eye on Cole’s storyline for 2019 as well.

We can only hope he can duplicate the results of this past season.

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