Sorry ESPN, Jacob deGrom Is Better Than Gerrit Cole

For the second straight year, ESPN has ranked Gerrit Cole ahead of Jacob deGrom in their annual top 100 player rankings. This is done despite Cole never out-pitching deGrom in their respective careers. Really, just look at the numbers.

In 2018, deGrom not only won his first Cy Young, but he also established himself as the best pitcher in all of baseball. Since that time, deGrom leads the majors in innings, ERA, FIP, and WAR. He’s second in WHIP, xFIP, and soft contact%. He is third in strikeouts and fourth in hard hit rate.

With the exception of strikeouts Cole is a clear and defined step behind deGrom. It’s also not just deGrom. We see Cole is also behind Chris Sale and Max Scherzer in terms of FIP. That is not to say Cole hasn’t established himself as an ace. He has done that. Rather, it is just an indication he has been a clear step behind deGrom.

Even if you want to point to ages, you are heading in the wrong direction. Yes, deGrom is older at 32 years of age, and Cole presumably has more of a prime ahead of him with his being two years younger. However, when you look at deGrom, there is absolutely no indication he is slowing down. Just look at how he is ramping things up this Spring Training:

Fact is deGrom has been the best pitcher in baseball since 2018, and there are no signs he is slowing down. In fact, he is still ramping it up hitting 102 MPH on his fastball while throwing a mid 90s slider during Spring Training. He is among the most intense competitors we have ever seen from the mound.

Really, if you are going to pick a pitcher ahead of deGrom, you are going to need a better reason than Cole “being affected by the stop-and-start nature of last year’s pandemic-shortened season.” There’s not doubt Cole and everyone else was; however, deGrom was already better than Cole before Cole was affected by anything.

Right now, until someone suddenly gains superpowers, there is no pitcher in baseball better than deGrom. Suggesting otherwise is making an argument not based in fact, and your hot take is whiffing worse than anyone who has flailed away at a deGrom fastball, change, or slider.

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