On Gerrit Cole’s looming opt-out clause

Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty ImagesSunday afternoon, Gerrit Cole ticked another box on his AL Cy Young checklist, going toe-to-toe with Brewers ace and 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. Burnes may have exited after eight with the no-hitter intact, but Cole was every bit as good as his counterpart, tossing seven scoreless innings yielding three hits and no walks against nine strikeouts to become the first pitcher to record three straight 200-strikeout seasons in franchise history.

It’s the fourth straight start in which Cole has allowed two or fewer runs while going at least six innings, lowering his ERA to an AL-leading 2.79 among qualified starters. Only Kevin Gausman and Sonny…