http://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Astros-acquire-pitcher-Gerrit-Cole-from-Pirates-12496508.php
Astros acquire pitcher Gerrit Cole from Pirates
Updated 6:08 pm, Saturday, January 13, 2018
The Astros have traded for pitcher Gerrit Cole.
The Astros have traded for pitcher Gerrit Cole.
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 12, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
lessMILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 12, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan
... moreCINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 17: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the first inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
lessCINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 17: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the first inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2017 in
... moreMILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 12, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
lessMILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 12, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan
... moreMILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 12, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
lessMILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 12, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan
... morePITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 06: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates talks with home plate umpire Paul Nauert between innings against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on September 6, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
lessPITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 06: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates talks with home plate umpire Paul Nauert between innings against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on September 6, 2017 in Pittsburgh,
... moreCINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 17: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
lessCINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 17: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo
... moreCINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 17: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks out to the mound during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
lessCINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 17: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks out to the mound during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2017 in Cincinnati,
... moreCINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 26: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 26, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
lessCINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 26: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the second inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 26, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
... moreWASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 29: Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 29, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
lessWASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 29: Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 29, 2017 in
... morePITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 23: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the first inning during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on September 23, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
lessPITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 23: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the first inning during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on September 23, 2017 in Pittsburgh,
... moreCINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 26: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 26, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Pirates defeated the Reds 1-0. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
lessCINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 26: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 26, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Pirates defeated
... morePITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 01: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after giving up an RBI double to Adam Duvall #23 of the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning during the game at PNC Park on September 1, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
lessPITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 01: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after giving up an RBI double to Adam Duvall #23 of the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning during the game at PNC Park on
... moreA few days after a false alarm, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow actually pulled off the trade.
Gerrit Cole is joining the reigning World Series champions.
The Astros acquired Cole from the Pittsburgh Pirates on late Saturday afternoon in exchange for four players, bolstering a rotation already among baseball's best. Cole comes to the Astros with two years of team control and didn't cost them either of their two best prospects, pitcher Forrest Whitley and outfielder Kyle Tucker.
To land Cole, the Astros moved three players from their 40-man roster, including Joe Musgrove, who was expected to be in their 2018 bullpen. They dealt third baseman Colin Moran and reliever Michael Feliz. Minor league outfielder Jason Martin, who went unselected in last month's Rule 5 Draft, was the fourth player in the Pirates' return.
