Gerrit Cole signed for the New York Yankees in $324 million deal after being wooed by THIS

The 2019 MLB Winter Meetings saw some sensational free-agent signings including those of Zack Wheeler and Stephen Strasburg. But one trade that grabbed all the eyeballs was Gerrit Cole’s record-breaking move to the New York Yankees. Cole signed for the New York franchise in a staggering 9-year, $324 million deal. 

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MLB: New York Yankees sign Gerrit Cole on a record $324 million deal

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With a player of Gerrit Cole’s skillset on the MLB free-agent market, it was natural that many teams chased his signature. The New York Yankees faced stiff competition from the Los Angeles Dodgers and a mystery team, both offering to match the Yankees’ offer for Cole. Gerrit Cole also met with the LA Dodgers and their representatives during the course of the MLB Winter Meetings in San Diego. Ultimately, Cole chose a move to the New York Yankees over his native state of California. So what made Cole choose the New York side over his native teams? It is reported that the Yankees used a 30-pound gizmo to woo both Gerrit Cole and his wife, Amy Crawford.

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New York Yankees woo Gerrit Cole with a mysterious 30-pound gizmo

According to the New York Post, New York Yankees offered Gerrit Cole a 30-pound contraption, which is one of their favourite toys. The contraption is shaped like a giant interlocking NY which reveals a facsimile of the Yankees stadium with an iPad in the centre that has almost every piece of information of the franchise. It also has breakdowns of all 27 championship teams and other possible questions like potential places to live and schools for their kids, impressing both Gerrit Cole and his wife.

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