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Gerrit Cole Will Start His Offseason Throwing Program on Monday

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PITTSBURGH – Gerrit Cole will start his offseason program on Monday, the right-handed pitcher told media members at PirateFest, including our own Sean McCool.

Cole had an injury plagued year in 2016, leading to three separate trips to the disabled list. He started working out right after the season was over to maintain his conditioning, and will now begin the normal arm work. That’s all a good sign for his health, as the hope is that he can return healthy next year, and be closer to the pitcher he was before the 2016 season.

While Pirates’ manager Clint Hurdle indicated last week that the team might have rushed Cole back too quickly from his injuries, Cole didn’t want to place the blame on that.

“I wanted to take the ball,” Cole said. “Sometimes, things just happen. I really wouldn’t put the blame in any one area.”

Cole also didn’t want to place the blame of his season fully on the injuries, saying there were a lot of factors.

“It was a tough year,” Cole said. “A lot of different aspects. I really wouldn’t put the blame on one spot. I’m just really forward thinking now, looking forward to next year.”

The Pirates are currently slated for a rotation that will include Cole and Jameson Taillon as the only guys with guaranteed spots, and Chad Kuhl with an inside track for a spot. They have a lot of young pitchers making their way up from the farm system, and Cole now finds himself as the veteran of the staff, even if he doesn’t see it that way.

“I just kind of see myself as another one of the guys,” Cole said. “I’ve always tried to share what I’ve learned, and try to help people whenever they need help or whenever they come asking for it.”

Cole was asked about the impact of a veteran presence, specifically with Ryan Vogelsong last year, and noted that Vogelsong helped the staff formalize their routines, and provided a lot of value to the young guys. He ultimately deferred to Pirates’ General Manager Neal Huntington on whether the team needed another veteran starter this year.

That wasn’t the only offseason topic Cole was asked about. Coming off a week of Andrew McCutchen trade rumors, Cole was asked for his opinions on the talks, and whether he followed it.

“It’s hard not to ignore it,” Cole said. “You get text messages, and anytime you pull something up, there’s always something going on. I just kind of checked in, and kept my eye on it. … It’s obviously undesirable if he’s going to get traded, but it’s part of the business.”

There’s also the topic of his upcoming salary talks, with Cole entering the arbitration process for the first time. Cole said there have been no talks yet about his salary for the upcoming year, and said that he’s not quite sure when that process starts. As for whether he’d prefer an extension or going year-to-year, he didn’t have a preference.

“I don’t really have a preference at this point,” Cole said. “My preference is to keep my head down, and get ready for Spring Training.”

Cole would be expected to go year-to-year, as he’s a Scott Boras client, and Boras clients almost always go to free agency as early as possible. The most important thing here isn’t the contract though, but getting Cole back on track after a down season. Even if the Pirates add a starting pitcher or two this offseason, they are going to need him to bounce back and pitch more like the pitcher he was in 2015 in order to contend.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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