NEW YORK _ Gerrit Cole is not among the 60 witnesses that MLB has interviewed as the league investigates the Astros for cheating. After being introduced as the Yankees' new ace on Wednesday, Cole said that he did not see anything illegal in his two seasons in Houston.
"I didn't see anything. I mean, I've heard everything that you guys have read about. And I've read it. I did not see anything and not done anything illegal in any way," Cole said. "The gamesmanship in terms of the game on the field today, and all that kind of stuff, that's been going on. I remember Andy Pettitte in the meeting talked about how he was tipping in game five of the World Series and that's why they lost and you know he's still a little sick to the stomach about it. It's hard to believe he's got 19 postseason wins and he's still chews over that one but I guess it speaks to the type of competitor that he is. But I didn't see anything illegal.
"And I haven't been questioned by MLB because I really wasn't involved," Cole said. "Fortunately, I'm kind of on the outside."
The Astros were accused by former player Mike Fiers of using a system in which a rogue television camera in center field transmitted opposing catchers' signs to a television behind the Astros dugout. Fiers said the information of when an off-speed pitch was coming was then relayed to the hitter by banging on a trash can just off the dugout.
Last week at the MLB annual Winter Meetings, Commissioner Rob Manfred stressed how extensive the league's investigation was. He said they have interviewed 60 witnesses and combed through 76,000 emails.
Cole was not on the 2017 Astros team, which is the team that was initially accused. There have been allegations since, however, that point to an on-going system of cheating that may have continued into this year, when the Astros beat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series.
