Though he lived a coast away in Southern California, Cole grew up a diehard Yankees fan. Then 11, he was photographed in attendance at Game 6 of the 2001 World Series vs. the D-backs, holding a large placard that read: “Yankee Fan Today Tomorrow Forever”
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Cole struck out the first batter he faced in the Majors, whiffing the Giants’ Gregor Blanco on three pitches -- the last one, a 99 mph fastball. Cole also stroked a two-run single, allowing two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings to notch the win in an 8-2 Bucs victory
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Cole went 59-42 with a 3.50 ERA over 127 starts with Pittsburgh. He was traded to the Astros on Jan. 13, 2018, for Joe Musgrove, Michael Feliz, Colin Moran and Jason Martin. Cole struck out 61 batters in his first month with Houston, setting an Astros club record for April
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With Houston, Cole learned to throw more four-seam fastballs and attack the top of the strike zone. An AL All-Star, Cole finished the first half of the season with a 10-2 record, 2.52 ERA and 177 strikeouts. Cole’s 276 strikeouts that year ranked 2nd in the AL behind teammate Justin Verlander
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On his 29th birthday, Cole became the 2nd pitcher to strike out 14 or more hitters in three consecutive games. Only Pedro Martinez had achieved the feat before Cole, who did it vs. the Rays, Brewers and Mariners. Cole finished ’19 with an MLB-leading 326 strikeouts
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Yankees general manager Brian Cashman landed what he referred to as his “white whale,” inking Cole to a 9-year, $324 million contract, six years after the righty opted for college. The deal set a new record for a pitcher, eclipsing a deal agreed to by Stephen Strasburg days earlier
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With the start of his first Yankees season delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cole made his long-awaited debut as the club’s Opening Night starter, tossing 5 innings of 1-run ball in a rain-shortened victory over the Nationals in Washington, D.C.
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Cole completed the regular season with an MLB-high 257 strikeouts, surpassing a Yankees franchise record of 248, which was set in 1978 by Ron Guidry. Cole bested Louisiana Lightning’s mark on the same day Aaron Judge eclipsed Roger Maris’ AL single-season HR record