Cole forced the Yankees’ hand on Saturday by exercising the only option included in the nine-year, $324 million contract that he signed when he was a free agent in December 2019. The original contract allowed the Yankees to nullify the opt-out by adding $36 million and one year to the original pact to make it $360 million for 10 years.

Walking away from Gerrit Cole would increase the pressure on owner Hal Steinbrenner to sign Juan Soto. And if he lost both . . . hoo boy.

Gerrit Cole made the strange decision to opt out of his contract with the New York Yankees before deciding to remain with the team... on the exact