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.

Should Cole, 29 and a potential free agent after the World Series, turn the Yankees’ bats to goo and lead the Astros to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series it will hurt more than losing out to UCLA and the Astros combined.

Not only would Cole put the Astros two victories away from a ticket to the World Series, it would be accomplished in The Bronx, where the Yankees were itching to get home to after suffering a 3-2 loss in 11 innings Sunday night in Game 2.

Toward the end of the regular season, fellow Astros right-hander Justin Verlander was considered by some to be the AL Cy Young favorite. However, if the voting were still open — it isn’t — Cole would have nudged ahead of Verlander with two dominant starts against the Rays in the ALDS, when he allowed one run on six hits and struck out 25 in 15 ²/₃ innings.

The last time Cole absorbed a defeat was on May 22. To put that in perspective, Luke Voit, Kendrys Morales, Clint Frazier and Thairo Estrada were in the Yankees’ lineup against the Orioles that day. None of those four were active for the first two games of the ALCS.

In 24 starts since that loss, the Astros are 22-2 and Cole is 18-0 with a 1.66 ERA and has struck out 251 in 162 ¹/₃ innings.

Asked the difference between the Cole in April — when he beat the Yankees, 6-3, and allowed four hits, three earned runs, struck out six and walked three in seven innings — and lately, Boone said he sees a pitcher able to command electric stuff with location.

“Maybe just in complete control and command of pitches. His ability to not only maintain his stuff through his outings, the ability to really pitch at the top of the strike zone with his high-end fastball and really command it up there,’’ Boone said.

Ignored in all the buzz about Cole is that the Yankees will start Luis Severino, who not long ago was considered among the top starters in the AL.

And after missing almost all of this season with a right shoulder problem and a lat injury, the right-hander said he understands what awaits him Tuesday, but is not awed by it.

“Yeah, of course, but I don’t need to go out there and strike out 300 guys or win 20 games,’’ Severino said when asked if he was aware how dominant Cole has been. “I just need to go out there and match his stuff. I don’t need to do more than that.’’

As if Cole — who went 20-5 with an AL-leading 2.50 ERA and struck out a 326 in 212 ¹/₃ innings — needs any help, he might get some thanks to the 4:08 p.m. start.

“We expect to have success. We know it’s going to be tough, 4 o’clock game, [and] the shadows will probably play an issue as well and make it difficult,’’ Boone said.

Since May 22, Cole has been as close to perfect as a pitcher can be for three-plus months. Shadows would only make him better, which would hurt the Yankees more than watching Cole go to UCLA or the Astros.