Gerrit Cole opted out, but the Yankees have an opportunity to reinstate him quickly.

In a completely expected move, but one that nonetheless turned the heads of many fans, Cole opted out of his contract with the Yankees on Saturday morning.

But Cole, whose nine-year, $324 million deal signed before the 2020 season contained the opt-out clause after this year that was planned pretty much from the moment he signed it for use, n He is not guaranteed to hit the open market as a free agent.

The contract, negotiated by agent Scott Boras — who represents several of baseball’s biggest stars, a stable that includes current free agent Juan Soto — also included the option for the Yankees to waive the opt-out clause.

That would be by adding a fifth year to Cole’s deal, which had four years and $144 million remaining, for $36 million, which would keep him a Yankee through 2028.

Although Cole began the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right elbow and did not make his first start of the year until June 19, the 34-year-old right-hander was among the most successful pitchers lasting of his generation.

The difficulty of finding a durable, high-end starting pitcher, along with Cole’s overall success in the Bronx, makes it likely the Yankees take on another year for $36 million.

The club has until 5 p.m. Monday to make that call.

Cole is 153-80 with a 3.18 ERA in his 12 years in the major leagues, including 59-28 in his five seasons with the Yankees. He is 11-6 with a 2.77 ERA in 22 career postseason starts, including 5-2, 2.93 with the Yankees.

Cole, a 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner, was 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts this season. He started what turned out to be the Yankees’ final game of the season, Wednesday night’s 7-6 loss to the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series at Stadium, and was brilliant through four hitless innings safe and aimless.

But the fifth inning unfolded in a storm of errors – which included errors on Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe and a brain freeze for Cole on the bases loaded Mookie Betts, with two outs at first base in which he didn’t didn’t cover the bag – this led to the Dodgers scoring five times to tie it at 5-5.

“This is as bad as it gets. It’s the worst feeling you can have,” said Cole, who has yet to win a championship in his otherwise stellar career and, as a member of the 2019 Astros, lost in the World Series in seven games against the Nationals. “In the end, we failed and that’s . . . it’s brutal.

If the Yankees make the unlikely decision to allow Cole to enter free agency again, he would join a large group of quality starters on the market, a group that includes Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, Jack Flaherty, Blake Snell , Yusei Kikuchi and Walker Buehler. .

Additionally, on Saturday there was another unsurprising decision regarding the Yankees’ winter as the club declined its $17 million option on veteran first baseman Anthony Rizzo, instead exercising the 6 million dollars in his contract and thus making the 35-year-old a free player. agent.

Rizzo, a club leader on a similar level to captain Judge – but without his close friend’s title – is coming off two injury-plagued seasons, which is why the team’s decision on Saturday was fully expected.

Rizzo, speaking after Wednesday night’s loss, seemed to feel it, too.

“I feel like I have a lot to offer this game in different ways,” said Rizzo, a standout member of the 2016 Cubs who ended that franchise’s record 108-year drought without a World Series title.

Pulling lightly on his pinstriped jersey, he later said: “I don’t want to take it off.” »

Rizzo, who did not play in the Division Series against the Royals because of two broken fingers on his right hand after being hit by a pitch in the penultimate game of the regular season, played with the fingers broken during the American League Championship Series against Cleveland and then in the World Series. Rizzo went 8 for 30 (.267) with a .421 on-base percentage in those two rounds, including 10 games (nine starts).