"Justin Verlander deserved that, so did I" - Gerrit Cole shares honest thoughts on losing Cy Young to then-Astros teammate

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is gearing up for a strong 2025 season with the team after missing almost half of last season due to injury concerns. Cole missed out on an All-Star spot for the first time in four years because of his late start to the campaign in June.

The All-Star pitcher has been one of the most consistent arms in the league for nearly a decade and his strong performances led to his first Cy Young Award win in 2023 with the Yankees.

Cole came close to winning the prestigious award with the Houston Astros in 2018 but finished second in the AL Cy Young Voting to his then-Astros teammate Justin Verlander. The Yankees ace shared his honest thoughts on finishing second to the MLB icon in the latest episode of "Casa De Klub" podcast.

Justin Verlander deserved that Cy Young award. I believe so did I, Cole said (25:00 onwards). But Justin deserved it, that's all I have to say about that.

While Cole had a stellar season in 2018, finishing with a 20-5 record in 33 starts with a 2.50 ERA, he praised Verlander by highlighting the three-time Cy Young winner's equally impressive year.

"We were good, we were very good that year. His no-hitter in Toronto was a real special day for everybody. There were other special moments along the way into the postseason, it was a good year by him," Cole added.

Justin Verlander's third no-hitter of his career made him only the sixth pitcher in MLB history to record that feat. He finished the season with a 21-6 record in 34 starts, earning him 17 first-place votes compared to Cole's 13.

Gerrit Cole open to helping pitching sensation Paul Skenes

Gerrit Cole was a young pitcher learning his trade with the Astros, while Justin Verlander was in the prime of his career. Verlander would've helped out Cole during their stint, and the Yankees ace wants to do the same with young pitchers in the league.

In the same episode of the podcast, Cole talked about discussing with Pittsburgh Pirates flamethrower Paul Skenes. He is willing to help the reigning Rookie of the Year and admitted to being a fan of the young hurler.

“A stand-up dude. I’ve met him a few times, I’m blown away," Cole said. "So I kind of just let him know, I was a fan of his, and I’m an advocate of his and if he needs something, reach out. And I just pushed him to take ownership of what he’s doing but I think that quality is already there.”

After an injury-riddled campaign last year, Gerrit Cole looks to be back to his best during the Spring Training games for the Yankees. He will be leading the rotation with Max Fried in the opening weeks of the season after the team announced Luis Gil's lat injury earlier this week.