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New York Yankees starter Gerrit Cole is a big fan of Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente.
During the team's Fourth of July off-day yesterday in Pittsburgh, Cole took his teammates to the Roberto Clemente Museum, which honors the career of the MLB legend.
Cole played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2013-2017, so he has some natural affinity towards the city. Before today's game, he spoke of how nostalgic it was to return and how much the city still meant to him.
Even during his time on the Pirates, however, Cole had a love for the New York Yankees.
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"Even when he was in Pittsburgh, Gerrit Cole had a deep appreciation for the New York Yankees" - @YES Network
Now, playing for the Yankees on a massive $324 million contract, Cole wants to educate his teammates on the baseball history in Pittsburgh.
Roberto Clemente played for the Pirates his entire career from 1955 to 1972. He was a career .359 hitter with 240 home runs and 3,000 total hits.
"Anytime you can kind of share what Roberto is all about... it's part of [his] legacy." Gerrit Cole took the Yankees on a field trip to the Roberto Clemente Museum on their off day in Pittsburgh" - @YES Network
Cole said he wanted to teach some of his younger teammates about Clemente's impact on the sport of baseball.
"Anytime you can kind of share what Roberto is all about with some players that are new and haven't been quite as exposed to the story as they otherwise have been now after being there is..." Cole said, pausing. "That's part of the legacy of him."
Gerrit Cole's appreciation for his baseball hometown of Pittsburgh shines through during trip with New York Yankees teammates
Gerrit Cole has put together a good campaign so far this season. He owns a 2.99 ERA with 1.007 WHIP over 93.1 innings. He's struck out 117 batters, too.
Cole's appreciation for his baseball hometown of Pittsburgh shone through tonight. He told reporters that he could clearly remember his debut and certain Wild Card games that he battled through with his teammates.
Cole isn't the only Yankees pitcher to come from the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Jameson Taillon and Clay Holmes both do as well. Taillon pitched for the Pirates from 2016-2019, and Holmes was a Pirate from 2018-2021.
