As a teenager, Gerrit Cole broke the Yankees’ heart by choosing UCLA over them after the club drafted the right-hander with the 28th pick in the 2008 draft believing he wanted to sign.
Ten years later the Yankees were interested in acquiring Cole from the Pirates, who dealt the right-hander to the Astros, a trade that cut deeply because the Yankees and Astros were in the chase for AL supremacy.
Yet the biggest pain associated with Cole and Yankees could be delivered Tuesday, when the hottest pitcher in baseball will be looking to cut the organs out of the Yankees lineup in Game 3 of the ALCS at what should be a rollicking Yankee Stadium.