Cole in his comfort zone with Yankees: 'I like how I feel now'

TAMPA, Fla. -- Gerrit Cole sensed the difference almost immediately upon arriving two weeks ago, opening his fourth Spring Training with the Yankees. After the hubbub of changing teams as a celebrated free agent, then the uncertainty and tumult of the past few springs, there is now stability in the right-hander’s world.

“It’s awesome,” Cole said on Friday, as New York fell to the Tigers, 5-3. “I know where I want to eat. I know how long it takes to get to the field. Every year was an adjustment. … It just seems like things are more familiar [now]. I find myself being more curious about the game and spending more brainpower on the game, as opposed to making sure I’m not showing up late or calling somebody the wrong name.”

Cole makes a good point. His first spring wearing pinstripes was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a Summer Camp restart at an empty Yankee Stadium. Attendance at George M. Steinbrenner Field was still extremely limited when the Bombers trained under Florida sunshine in 2021, and Cole said his routines didn’t feel back to normal until the end of the ’22 season.

“He’s in a really good place, coming off another great year and a really good finish to the season for him,” manager Aaron Boone said. “There were questions swirling around him and he was under as much pressure as anyone at the end of the season, and certainly the playoffs. He was at his best then.

“There’s no question, I think he’s more entrenched in that room -- and there’s always comfort in that. … I definitely sense he’s more settled, because we’re back to normal. It’s a normal setup here. You’re not going to pick up your meal with a mask on and sit at [a specific] table. That’s been nice, and I know he’s enjoyed that.”

So, finally, Cole hopes to settle in and do what he does best -- dissect the art of pitching. Making his Grapefruit League debut on Friday, Cole limited the Tigers to one hit across three innings, tossing 37 of 51 pitches for strikes. He walked none and struck out four, showcasing a fastball that Boone said was “electric.”

“I like how I feel now,” Cole said. “I liked the amount of strikes, liked the pace.”

Cole recently buddied up to guest instructor Ron Guidry, seeking pointers on how 'Louisiana Lightning' threw his slider. He relayed Guidry's advice: "Don't think about it - just throw it." Cole offered positive reviews after his first game experience with the pitch timer, saying that his biggest focus was ensuring he had a handle on all of the new rules.

“I’m excited,” Cole said. “It’s going to be great. It’s faster; we’ll get home quicker. It’s going to be awesome.”

King for a night
Michael King’s fractured right elbow dealt a devastating blow to the Yankees’ championship aspirations last July, removing a key multi-inning force from the bullpen. It is a great sign for their 2023 hopes that King appears to be back to form.

King fired two perfect innings against Detroit on Friday, striking out four on only 20 pitches.

“He was carving tonight,” Boone said. “He’s the Michael King we saw all of last year. It was really good stuff. All of his ‘pens and live [batting practices] have been good, but any time you’re coming back from a significant injury, it’s meaningful to get back there in real game action -- a night game under the lights. I think it was significant for him, and he was great.”

Last season, King posted a 2.29 ERA in 34 appearances, striking out 66 batters in 51 innings against only 16 walks.

"Mechanically, everything feels synced up. Health-wise, everything feels great," King said. "The movement of my pitches was not as good in my bullpens, but as soon as I started getting my hand speed up in games, it came right back. So I was happy to see that."

Camping out
The organization hosted its 2023 New York Yankees Luncheon on Friday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay. This year marked the 25th annual luncheon and the first in-person event in three years. Among the guests in attendance were current Yankees players, coaches and alumni.