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    • Gerrit Cole opts out but Yankees could keep him, Anthony Rizzo option declined
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    Gerrit Cole opts out but Yankees could keep him, Anthony Rizzo option declined

    Harry Posted on

    NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole exercised his right to opt out of his contract with the New York Yankees and added a $36 million salary for 2029, giving the team two days to opt out, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.

    Three days after the Yankees lost the World Series, the team said Saturday that it had declined first baseman Anthony Rizzo’s $17 million option in favor of a $6 million buyout, thus making the first baseman a free agent.

    Cole’s expected decision was reported by a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because it had not been made public. Cole would give up $144 million over the remaining four seasons of his $324 million, nine-year contract. The Yankees have until midnight Eastern time on Sunday to make their decision.

    Cole, a 34-year-old right-hander, won the 2023 AL Cy Young Award. The 2024 season did not start until June 19 due to nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. The six-time All-Star went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts, then went 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason starts.

    The 35-year-old Rizzo, a three-time All-Star, hit .228 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 92 games during the injury-interrupted season.

    Rizzo missed 62 games with a fractured right forearm after colliding with Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino on June 16. He batted .380 (8-for-21) after returning from the injured list on September 1, then broke his fourth and fifth fingers when he was hit. Throw by Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki on Sept. 28.

    He returned for the AL Championship Series and World Series and batted .267 with no RBIs.

    The Yankees declined Anthony Rizzo’s $17 million option in favor of a $6 million buyout, making the first baseman a free agent.Luke Hales/Getty

    Rizzo, a 2016 World Series champion with the Chicago Cubs, has a .261 career batting average with 303 homers and 965 RBIs in 14 major league seasons. He was traded from the Cubs to the Yankees in July 2021.

    He remained with the Yankees on a two-year, $32 million deal, then signed a two-year, $40 million contract in November 2022.

    Harry
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