Yankees become World Series betting favorites after signing Cole
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The New York Yankees flexed their financial muscle late Tuesday night, inking Gerrit Cole to a nine-year deal worth a record $324 million. In doing so, New York became a 3-1 favorite to win the 2020 Fall Classic.
Cole, who posted a 2.50 ERA with 20 wins and 326 strikeouts in 33 games last season, is joining the Yankees from a Houston Astros team that just beat them in the ALCS.
In the Bronx, Cole will be the centerpiece of a loaded rotation that also features James Paxton, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, and J.A. Happ, though Jordan Montgomery is more likely to round out the group amid reports that Happ could be dealt New York also has highly touted pitching prospect Deivi Garcia lurking, and he has the potential to play a prominent role in the latter half of the season.
Manager Aaron Boone now possesses one of the best rotations in baseball to pair with one of the league's most lethal lineups, as the Yankees will look to return to the MLB summit for the first time since 2009.
In signing the right-hander, the Yankees cut their World Series odds in half after opening Tuesday level with the Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers at 6-1. Still firmly entrenched in the race to sign star third baseman Anthony Rendon, the Dodgers held firm at 6-1, but Houston lengthened to 7-1 after officially losing Cole to an American League rival.
| Team | Odds (Dec. 11) | Odds (Dec. 10) |
|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 3-1 | 6-1 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 6-1 | 6-1 |
| Houston Astros | 7-1 | 6-1 |
| Atlanta Braves | 10-1 | 10-1 |
| Washington Nationals | 14-1 | 14-1 |
| Boston Red Sox | 18-1 | 14-1 |
| Cleveland Indians | 18-1 | 18-1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 18-1 | 18-1 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 20-1 | 20-1 |
| New York Mets | 20-1 | 20-1 |
| Chicago Cubs | 20-1 | 20-1 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 20-1 | 20-1 |
| Minnesota Twins | 20-1 | 20-1 |
| Oakland Athletics | 30-1 | 30-1 |
| Chicago White Sox | 40-1 | 40-1 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 50-1 | 50-1 |
| San Diego Padres | 50-1 | 50-1 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 60-1 | 30-1 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 60-1 | 60-1 |
The Boston Red Sox also saw their World Series odds lengthen, moving from 14-1 to 18-1 as a result of Cole signing with their AL East rivals. The Red Sox finished 19 games back of the Yankees in the division last season, and they've yet to make any noise in free agency.
The Angels - who were hoping to lure Cole to his home state of California - were the biggest movers after missing out on the ace, lengthening to 60-1 odds from 30-1.
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.
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