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VIDEO: Gerrit Cole’s Emotional Standing Ovation for CC Sabathia Proves He Was Meant to Be a Yankee

By Alex Kurpeski

Gerrit Cole gives C.C Sabathia a round of applause as he leaves the mound for the last time
Gerrit Cole gives C.C Sabathia a round of applause as he leaves the mound for the last time /

While he may now be a $324-million man, Gerrit Cole's appreciation for the New York Yankees organization (and for that matter, the sport of baseball) has been well-established.

You may remember that Cole was one of the Astros players who stood up to applaud C.C Sabathia as he exited Game 4 of the ALCS with an injury just a couple of months ago. As Sabathia wept, knowing that this would be his final time walking off of the mound at Yankee Stadium, a teary-eyed Cole was seen giving him an emotional ovation.

Cole's reaction to seeing Sabathia depart for the final time gives us insight into his fondness for the Yankees organization. A Yankee fan for most of his childhood, Cole was just a teenager when Sabathia first came to New York in the offseason of 2008. Now Cole will be taking up the mantle as the new ace in New York, as Sabathia hangs his cleats up. A fitting transition indeed.

The Yankees paid a steep price to land Cole. However, his visceral reaction to Sabathia's final appearance suggests that Cole knows what it means to be a Yankee, even if that means he has to part ways with his facial hair.