In a season where nearly everything went wrong for the Yankees, Gerrit Cole went right. Spectacularly, historically, unanimously right. His 2023 campaign -- 15-4, 2.63 ERA, 222 strikeouts, 0.98 WHIP across 209 innings -- was the best pitching season by a Yankee in decades. The AL Cy Young Award came by unanimous vote, and honestly, the vote should've been unanimous with an asterisk that said "and it's not even close." Cole was the one person who showed up every five days and delivered what the franchise needed. The problem was that he was also the only person who did.
The Numbers
Let's lay them out, because they deserve to be stared at. In 33 starts, Cole produced 24 quality starts -- meaning nearly three-quarters of his outings went at least six innings with three or fewer earned runs. He threw two complete games. He led all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts with 222, the first right-handed Yankee to accomplish that in a single season. He was also the first Yankee of any handedness to lead the American League in strikeouts since Al Downing in 1964. (That's nearly 60 years of Yankee pitchers, and none of them led the league in strikeouts until Cole.)
His 0.98 WHIP meant he was averaging fewer than one baserunner per inning pitched. His 2.63 ERA was the best on the staff by a mile. He allowed just 20 home runs in a non-shortened season -- the lowest mark since 2018. The man was an island of excellence in a sea of mediocrity.
May 23: The 2,000-Strikeout Milestone
Against the Baltimore Orioles, Cole reached his 2,000th career strikeout. He became the 87th pitcher in MLB history to reach the milestone and -- here's the kicker -- one of the three fastest ever to get there. The achievement was both a personal milestone and a statistical reflection of how dominant he'd been throughout his career, dating back to his Pittsburgh days through Houston and into New York.
The milestone got lost in the noise of the team's struggles, which was a recurring theme in 2023. Cole would do something historic, and then the bullpen would blow the lead, or the offense would get shut out, or the defense would commit a critical error. Individual brilliance, organizational dysfunction.
The Burden of Being the Ace
What made Cole's season so bittersweet was the context. He was carrying a staff. Behind him, the rotation was a mess. Carlos Rodon, the $162 million offseason acquisition, couldn't stay healthy or consistent. Nestor Cortes dealt with injuries. The bullpen leaked runs. Cole was the only starter the organization could hand the ball to every fifth day and expect six-plus innings of dominance.
That burden showed up in subtle ways. Cole averaged over six innings per start when the team needed length. He went deep into games because the bullpen couldn't be trusted. He pitched in pressure situations because nobody else could handle them. And through 33 starts, he maintained an elite level of performance without showing signs of wearing down.
(The man was a machine. A $324 million, 6-foot-4 machine who threw 97 mph cutters and made the AL East look like a rec league.)
The Bittersweet Award
Cole won the Cy Young by unanimous vote in November 2023. It was the first unanimous Cy Young for a Yankee since... well, it was the first unanimous Cy Young for a Yankee, period. The honor was deserved, and it would've been a franchise-defining moment in a different year. Instead, it felt like finding a diamond ring in a burned-down house.
The award also raised uncomfortable questions. Could the Yankees have done more to support Cole? If the offense had been league-average instead of bottom-third, how many more wins does Cole's brilliance translate into? If Rodon had pitched to his contract, does the rotation hold together well enough to make the playoffs? The answers are all "probably," which makes the 82-80 finish even more infuriating.
| 2023 Record | 15-4 |
| ERA | 2.63 |
| Strikeouts | 222 (led MLB) |
| WHIP | 0.98 |
| Innings Pitched | 209 |
| Quality Starts | 24 of 33 |
| Complete Games | 2 |
| HR Allowed | 20 |
| Cy Young Vote | Unanimous |
| Milestone | 2,000th K on May 23 (87th pitcher ever) |
Cole vs. History
Cole's 2023 season stands alongside the best individual pitching campaigns in modern Yankees history. Ron Guidry's 25-3 season in 1978. CC Sabathia's 2009 postseason dominance. Roger Clemens' 2001 run. Cole's numbers compare favorably to all of them -- and he did it for a team that finished below .500 in games he didn't start.
The contrast between Cole's excellence and the team's mediocrity is the 2023 season in one sentence. When he pitched, the Yankees had a chance. When he didn't, they were an 82-80 team masquerading as contenders. One ace can carry a rotation for five days at a time. He can't carry a franchise.
AL Pitcher of the Month
Cole goes 5-1 with just five runs allowed in 40.2 innings. He sets the tone for what will become a historically dominant season.
2,000th Career Strikeout
Cole reaches the milestone against Baltimore, becoming the 87th pitcher in MLB history and one of the three fastest to reach 2,000 K's.
Carrying the Rotation
While teammates fall to injuries and the offense sputters, Cole maintains dominance -- 24 quality starts in 33 outings, anchoring a pitching staff that desperately needs him.
Season Winds Down
Cole finishes with a 15-4 record and 222 strikeouts, the first Yankee to lead the AL in K's since 1964.
Unanimous Cy Young
Cole wins the AL Cy Young Award by unanimous vote -- the first unanimous selection in Yankees history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Gerrit Cole win the Cy Young in 2023?
Yes. Cole won the AL Cy Young Award by unanimous vote after going 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA, 222 strikeouts, and a 0.98 WHIP. It was the first unanimous Cy Young selection in Yankees history.
How many strikeouts did Gerrit Cole have in 2023?
Cole struck out 222 batters in 209 innings, leading all of Major League Baseball. He was the first Yankee to lead the AL in strikeouts since Al Downing in 1964 and the first right-handed Yankee to lead MLB in that category in a single season.
When did Gerrit Cole reach 2,000 career strikeouts?
Cole recorded his 2,000th career strikeout on May 23, 2023, against the Baltimore Orioles. He became the 87th pitcher in MLB history and one of the three fastest pitchers ever to reach the milestone.