New York Yankees ace pitcher Gerrit Cole opted to get out of his contract at the end of last season, hoping that the club could add money to exercise his $36 million option for the 2029 season, but the Yankees didn't do so, but he later chose to stay and continue to complete the original contract, and when he talked to the media about it today, he said that he was happy with the results and was happy to be back.

Kerr signed a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees at the end of the 2019 season, with an option for 2025, and if he chooses to decline to execute the remaining four years of his $144 million contract, the Yankees can add $36 million to the contract and invalidate his right to leave.

However, the Yankees did not do so, and the Yankees made it clear last November that the Yankees were reluctant to renew his contract for another year, and in the end, Kerr chose to return to the team and complete the remaining four years of his $144 million contract.

Speaking to the media today, Kerr said he was pleased with the end result of staying with the team, saying: "My intention is to stay and I'm happy to be back at Yankee Stadium." Asked if he was frustrated that the Yankees didn't add a year to their contracts, he shook his head and said, "I don't have any other plans than to stay with the Yankees."

Kerr suffered an elbow injury before the start of the season last season and didn't start the season until June. Cole started 17 games last year, with 8 wins, 5 losses and a 3.41 defense rate, and only made 95 innings for the entire season due to injury, and did not make more than 100 innings for the first time since the 2020 pandemic season. However, Kerr said that he is in very good shape compared to spring training in the past few years, and that starting pitching practice earlier than usual this offseason has allowed him to better control his condition.