MLB Rumors: Dodgers' Offer To Gerrit Cole Was Similar To Yankees, Madison Bumgarner Now LA's Focus

The Los Angeles Dodgers have come up empty-handed in pursuit of a star pitcher. Both Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg agreed to historic contracts at the 2019 Winter Meetings, but neither free agent is headed to L.A.

Strasburg set a record for a pitcher when he agreed to a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Washington Nationals Monday. Cole blew that number out of the water Tuesday night when he landed a nine-year, $324 million deal with the New York Yankees.

The Dodgers were linked to both players. With plenty of money to spend and both pitchers being California natives, Los Angeles was thought to have a strong chance to land one of them.

New York’s open checkbook might not have been the only factor in Cole’s decision. Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci said on “MLB Tonight” that the Dodgers’ offer to Cole was in the “same general area” as that of the Yankees.

“It came down to winning, to organizational culture (intellectual stimulation) and to the actual contract,” a source said told Verducci, noting the Yankees “created enough clear separation on the contract.”

There were rumors at the start of the offseason that Cole preferred to play on the West Coast. That turned out not to be the case.

It was no secret that Cole was the Yankees’ top priority. The Dodgers reportedly took the same approach with the 29-year-old, making him their main target, according to The Athletic.

Angels had a big hurdle to overcome. But it’ll be interesting to hear why Cole picked Yankees over Dodgers, who were also very aggressive. LAD is set up about as well as the Yankees for the future. https://t.co/fEkRgIRuNa
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 11, 2019

#Dodgers will now shift their focus to free-agent left-hander Madison Bumgarner, sources tell The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2019

The Los Angeles Angels also made a strong push to sign Cole. They were reportedly unwilling to match the Yankees’ offer.

With Cole and Strasburg off the market, the Dodgers are turning their attention to the next best available pitcher. Ken Rosenthal has reported that Los Angeles will now go after Madison Bumgarner.

Bumgarner is expected to command a nine-figure contract. The left-hander posted a career-worst 3.90 ERA in 2019.

Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler will be at the top of the Dodgers’ rotation in 2020. Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu are both free agents.