VIDEO: Gerrit Cole Actually Signing His Yankees Contract Will Give Fans True Chills

It's official. Pen has been put to paper. Gerrit Cole is a New York Yankee. The former Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher officially signed his contract with the Yankees, completing one of the biggest free-agent contracts in baseball history. After his introductory press conference, Cole was taken into a back room where he officially scribbled his signature to the contract sheet, making the deal official.

Cole, who went 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and an American League-leading 326 strikeouts on an Astros team that made it to the World Series, signed a nine-year, $324 million deal with the Yankees that has an opt out after the 2024 season. The contract will pay him $36 million for each of the next five seasons.

While the $36 million is probably what steered Cole towards the Bronx at the end of the day, Wednesday represents an opportunity for Cole to start fulfilling a childhood dream of pitching under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium. He even brought his now-famous "Yankee Fan Today, Tomorrow, Forever" sign from a World Series game in 2001.

For the next nine years, New York's newest No. 45 is going to be throwing smoke in Yankee pinstripes. If you have chills right now, folks, you are not alone.