Part 5 in a series analyzing the New York Yankees.

By now Gerrit Cole would have made at least five starts had the season opened on March 26. And with 14 combined games against the lowly Orioles and Tigers, the Yankees likely would have been in the early stages of grabbing an AL East lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Of course, Cole hasn’t thrown a pitch that counts in a Yankees uniform since all 30 teams are 0-0 because of the coronavirus.

When the newest Yankee will give the club a peek at the reason they dropped a whopping $324 million across nine years on him isn’t known, and there is a possibility that will have to wait for the 2021 season.

Cole isn’t the only star on the Yankees’ roster. Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu, Aroldis Chapman, Gary Sanchez, Zack Britton and Masahiro Tanaka are high-profile names fans are drawn to.

Yet the new guy is always the most intriguing until a newer body arrives. People know Judge and the others. What they know about the 29-year-old Cole is he has been very good in Pittsburgh and Houston, and enormously wealthy because of that success and the Yankees needing a legitimate ace at the top of the rotation. They also know that Cole opted to attend UCLA instead of signing with the Yankees, who took him in the first round of the 2008 draft.

In the brief time spring training was alive, Cole displayed a need for knowledge, the willingness to engage teammates for information, a competitive chip even in bullpen sessions and easiness with the media. He also had a 7.00 ERA in four outings in which he gave up 10 hits (four homers), struck out 13 and walked two. Those bloated numbers were the result of giving up six runs and six hits (four homers) to the Tigers in two innings on March 5 in Lakeland. The other three outings, Cole allowed an earned run in seven frames, four hits and struck out 10.

When spring training ended March 12, Cole eventually returned to his home north of The Bronx and began a program designed to keep his valuable body ready.

“Keeping my arm in shape, playing catch with [Aaron] Boonie, [Adam] Ottavino and [bullpen catcher] Radley [Haddad],’’ Cole told The Post on April 4. “Staying on my regimented workout routine here at my residence. Being able to stay in that routine has been beneficial. Trying to keep the pilot light on like other players and being as ready as we can be when we are called back to being able to play.’’

Asked if he thought that will happen, Cole said, “I hope so. I certainly hope so.’’

Submit your Yankees questions to be answered in an upcoming mailbag

Whenever Cole takes the mound, there will be the usual pressure from the outside due to the money and what he did in two years with the Astros.

In the past two seasons, Cole made 65 starts, went 35-10 with a 2.68 ERA, stuck out 602, walked 112 and allowed 285 hits in 412 innings. Last year he went 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 33 starts and whiffed an MLB-leading 326 in 212¹/₃ innings.

There is an ocean of reasons for MLB to play games this season. Getting to watch Cole on baseball’s biggest stage should rank near the top of a lot of lists.