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.

Right-hander Gerrit Cole decided Monday to remain with the New York Yankees on the four-year, $144 million contract he opted out of Saturday, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Originally, the only way Cole would remain a Yankee without reaching free agency was if the club voided his opt-out with a one-year,