Gerrit Cole once claimed he had not 'been privy to information' about Astros sign-stealing scandal

On December 18, 2019, the New York Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324 million contract. Previously, Cole was a part of the Houston Astros team from 2018-2019. Cole joined the Yankees when the talks of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal sent shockwaves across the MLB world. So, it was implied that Cole would be questioned about the scandal on the first day of his Yankees Spring Training.

Cole was with the Pittsburgh Pirates until 2017, after making his MLB debut on June 11, 2013. He was not part of the 2017 Astros squad, which allegedly gained an edge with sign-stealing and clinched the World Series title.

Cole said about the 2017 Astros cheating scandal:

"No I wasn't [awar of it]. I wish I could elaborate, but no I wasn't."

Adding how he believes in owner Jim Crane and his fellow teammates' statements, Cole said:

"I wouldn't have seen it or been privy to that information anyway, but I believe my ex-teammates. I believe those guys."

"Today, the Yankees announced they have signed RHP Gerrit Cole to a 9-year contract extending through the 2028 season with a player opt-out following the 2024 season." - New York Yankees

While Cole didn't stand to gain from the sign-stealing, he was a part of Houston's milestones (ALCS run in 2018; AL pennant in 2019).

Gerrit Cole supposedly resorted to banned substances to emerge as a power pitcher

Tampa Bay Rays v New York Yankees: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 14: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees reacts after a double play to end the top of the sixth inning of the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on June 14, 2022, in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

In 2021, New York Yankees All-Star pitcher Gerrit Cole stammered while answering a reporter's question about using Spider Tack, a sticky illegal substance, to gain a pitching advantage.

Seemingly unwilling to answer the question straightforwardly, Cole said:

“Well, I don’t … I don’t know … I don’t know if … I don’t know how to answer that, to be honest. I mean, there are customs and practices that have been passed down from older players to younger players, from the last generation of players to this generation of player."

, Choosing to be diplomatic with the answer, Gerrit added:

"I think there are some things that are certainly out of bounds in that regard and I’ve stood pretty firm in terms of the communication between our peers and whatnot. This is important to a lot of people that love the game, including the players industry, including fans, including teams.

"So if MLB wants to legislate some more stuff, that’s a conversation that we can have because ultimately we should all be pulling in the same direction on this."

"Ken Davidoff with the question. The answer is obviously yes." - Andrew Marchand

If MLB fans look closely at Gerrit Cole's career statistics, it becomes evident that after being traded to the Houston Astros, he reached a new level of pitching prowess. As per speculation, he might have started utilizing an illegal substance in Houston, contributing to his success.