Yankees ace pitcher Gerrit Cole opted out of his contract with the New York Yankees following their World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cole made the decision not so he could become a free agent,

In his time with the Yankees, Cole also has embraced his role as a de facto oracle of pitching for the staff, with veterans and rookies — and just about everyone in between who throw baseballs for a living — making frequent stops at or near his locker in spring training to talk about, as Cole always puts it, “the craft” of pitching.

Gerrit Cole gave up his opt-out right on Monday and will remain with the New York Yankees under a contract that runs through 2028 rather than become a free agent. New York's ace initially exercised his right to terminate the $324 million,