New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole delivered a vintage performance in Thursday night's series-clinching win over the Kansas City Royals.
Tossing 7.0 innings of one-run ball, Cole was dominant from the first pitch as he leaned heavily on his fastball against a pesky Royals lineup.
His dominance over one of the more scrappy lineups in baseball was a reminder of the type of difference-making presence he still brings to the mound.
That's partly why Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report predicts Cole will exercise the opt-out clause in his contract this offseason.
"Cole almost certainly opts out, and Yankees very likely opt in, locking up their ace through 2029," Miller wrote.
While the opt-out clause, in theory, would allow Cole to hit the market to potentially find a new deal, the Yankees can immediately void the option by tacking on an extra year at the end of the contract for $36 million.
That's the most likely scenario after Cole delivered a strong month of September, proving he's still the ace of the staff.
The focus right now for the Yankees is to make it to the World Series for the first time in 15 years, but Cole's contract decision will be something to monitor this offseason.
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