The MLB season hasn't officially begun just yet, but a season-opening series in Tokyo, Japan, next week means it's very close. Opening Day is officially on March 27, giving teams only a couple more weeks to ramp up to regular season action.
Ramping up also means the unexpected can unfortunately happen. Flukey injuries can emerge and other unresolved issues can flare up and require time on the injured list. New York Yankees' right-hander Gerrit Cole is the latest victim, as he has undergone Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, per Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Cole will now miss the entirety of the 2025 season. In the wake of the Cole news, it's a good time to look back on the signing of ace Zack Wheeler and how the Philadelphia Phillies timed it best.
Yankees' Gerrit Cole disaster makes Phillies' Zack Wheeler contract look even smarter
Cole has been among the best starting pitchers in baseball since his debut in 2013. He finally earned his first Cy Young award in 2023, but has found himself on the IL more than he is on the mound. Prior to the 2020 season, Cole inked a nine-year, $324 million deal, putting his AAV at $36 million a year. At the time of signing, it was the biggest overall contract ever given to a pitcher. In the same offseason, the Phillies inked Wheeler to a five-year, $118 million deal, putting his AAV at just $23.6 million.
Cole had no prior elbow issues before the signing, but was that necessarily a good thing? Wheeler has had a much different career trajectory than Cole, but the two could finish their careers closer than we think. Wheeler had a rough start to his career, undergoing back-to-back Tommy John surgeries in 2015 and 2016. Since going under the knife, Wheeler has revitalized his Hall of Fame case. While a member of the Phillies, Wheeler has pitched to a 59-32 record with a 2.94 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and a 142 ERA+ across five seasons.
The Phillies are riding on the wave of success that Wheeler gives them every outing while Cole is left to rehab for another season. Wheeler just finished up a second-place Cy Young finish in 2024 going 16-7, with a 2.57 ERA and 224 strikeouts in 200 innings. Perhaps post-Tommy John pitchers are the better alternative. It gets much harder to argue against it after seeing Wheeler flourish coming into his age-35 season and still seeking his deserved first Cy Young award.
Hopefully, Wheeler can get there soon. He can't pitch forever, but from a fan perspective, you may want to have Wheeler over Cole while they're on the back end of their careers. Cole is in the middle of his mega-deal. While on the other hand, Wheeler just received an extension last offseason. The Phillies made the right call with Wheeler. Hindsight is always 20/20, but not many people could have seen this coming.