It’s no secret that the top prize in the MLB 2020 free agent class is current Houston Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole.

The 29-year-old right hander had his best season in 2019, putting up some historic numbers as he dominated hitters throughout the season.

Cole finished the regular season with a 20-5 record, 2.50 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 326 K’s, 7.4 WAR and 2.46 FIP in 212.1 innings pitched while leading the MLB in strikeouts, ERA+ and K/9.

He would be a valuable addition to any team, but adding him to the current Dodgers roster would give them a dynamic ace with postseason experience to pair with the likes of Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw.

It’s well documented that the Dodgers don’t traditionally shell out the big contracts to free agents, but it has happened in the past. Lest we not forget that the team reportedly offered Zack Greinke a five-year, $155 million contract before the former Dodger signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015.

With a lot of money coming off the books this season and the team’s early exit from the 2019 postseason, if there was ever a time for the Dodgers to break from their traditional budget-friendly offseasons, it is now.

MLB Insider Jon Heyman think’s it’s very possible that the Dodgers enter the sweepstakes for Cole.

“It looks to me like it could be a Yankee-Dodger battle. The Dodgers have not done this in the past. They’ve basically drafted and developed well, try to keep their own guys. The only guys they’ve offered $100 million to are Greinke, who they were outbid by the smaller market Arizona. … They’ve kept their own guys but in this case they may make an exception,” Heyman said.

“People in LA are not happy that they have not won a World Series since 1988. I think there’s more of an urgency for the Dodgers. I can see this coming down potentially to Yankees and Dodgers,” Heyman added on the Bigtime Baseball podcast.

Heyman also predicted that Cole could fetch an 8-year deal in the ballpark of $245 million.

There have been strong rumblings from people close to Cole, a Southern California native, that he wants to be back in California, an advantage that will absolutely play in the Dodgers favor, should they decide to open up the bank account and make a strong offer.

Cole was born in Newport Beach and played college baseball at UCLA.

If Heyman is correct in his contract estimate, that may be too steep a price to pay for the homegrown talent-leaning Dodgers, but if Cole values going back to California highly, which it seems he does, the team may be able to get away with a cheaper offer and land the coveted Cole.

The largest contract for a pitcher was signed by Red Sox lefty David Price, and for 7 years, $217 million, and one has to think Cole at least fetches that.

The Dodgers would have to take a slight shift in their spending plans for this to come to fruition, but with a World Series eluding them the last three years, the ownership group may be willing to back up the Brinks truck for a player of Cole’s caliber.