Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole who emerged as an All-Star last season, is not happy about his 2016 salary and went public with it. Cole tells the Tribune-Review the Pirates initial offer last week was $538,000, less than what he made last year. Cole “grudgingly” today signed for $541,000, according to the paper.

If Cole didn’t accept the offer, the Pirates threatened to reduce the offer to the league minimum which is $507,000. “They even threatened a salary reduction to the league minimum if I did not agree,” Cole told the Trib.