RADIO
Gerrit Cole 2022 Player Outlook: Yankees Ace Still No.1 SP Option in Fantasy
3 years agoGerrit Cole is being drafted as the number one fantasy starting pitcher and despite concerns about not being able to use "sticky stuff" anymore, his ADP of ~8 is warranted. In his two years with the Yankees, Cole has amassed 254.1 IP with a 3.11 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 337 K's (33.2% K%). Before last year's crackdown on sticky stuff, Cole had a 2.31 ERA over 89.2 IP (14 starts) with a 34.7% K%. After the June 21st enforcement, Cole's ERA was 4.12 over 91.2 IP (16 starts) with a 32.4% K%. While there's no denying foreign substances helped Cole (among many others), his post-June 21st underlying numbers still paint a picture of a stud starting pitcher. Cole had a 3.25 xFIP, 3.24 SIERA and a .333 BABIP (Cole had a .274 BABIP before June 21st). And while many other top starting pitchers have question marks lingering over them, Cole remains one of the most durable in the game. His 870.0 IP since 2017 is more than anyone else and despite the Yankees' disappointing 2021 season, their offense and bullpen should still see Cole rack up plenty of wins. Cole should still finish comfortably as an SP1 this year and is the safest option among the top-tier starters who will contribute handsomely in ERA, WHIP, wins and strikeouts.
