The Obstacle

The Rays boldly pushed the Astros to the limit in their ALDS matchup. After beating Justin Verlander to force a 5th and deciding game in Houston, there was one final obstacle in their path -- but Gerrit Cole could not be moved. This was HIS series. His moment.

After tossing eight shutout innings in the Astros' game two win, Cole closed out the Rays with another extreme eight -- surrendering just an Eric Sogard solo homer and a single to Ji Man Choi. Nothing more. Forget crooked numbers, this was mostly zeroes, as the 20-game winner and AL leader in ERA and strikeouts sent his club onto a League Championship Series showdown with the Yankees.

Cole beat the Yankees back in early April, but didn't exactly put up Bob Gibson numbers (3 runs over seven innings). Things really began to click on May 27th when he beat the Cubs -- the first of 15 consecutive victories to close out 2019.

Just turning 29 and coming off his first 20-win season, Cole's timing couldn't be better as he reaches free agency this winter -- as his potential price tag continues to soar.

(I haven't seen Cole pitch for either the Pirates or Astros. Fortunately, I captured him in Pittsburgh's dugout during a 2016 visit to Citi Field.)

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