Gerrit Cole shows off new weapon in solid first spring start: Really like where Im at

TAMPA — The word of the night for Gerrit Cole: change. A year after he made just one spring start before his elbow began barking to begin a monthslong saga, Cole’s arm and elbow felt plenty changed. “I feel way different [than this time last year],” Cole said after his first Grapefruit League outing Friday.“I really like where I’m at.

I liked what I saw.” The Yankees ace physically feels better, and he feels good about his arsenal, too — which now includes a more emphasized and tweaked changeup. Cole showed off his health and his newest weapon in 3 ¹/₃ innings of a 6-3 win over the Blue Jays at Steinbrenner Field in which he allowed a run and three hits, hit one batter and struck out five.The righty was sharp, returned for a batter in the fourth inning because he was so efficient and finished with 46 pitches (including 33 strikes). His four-seam fastball sat around 95 mph, which is a positive for late February, but his changeup was the most intriguing development. A pitch Cole barely threw last year — used just 4 percent of the time — was featured 15 times and generated three whiffs on seven Toronto swings. “Thought it was really good.

I’ve been working on it,” Cole said of a pitch that would give him a fifth to throw frequently.“Had a couple opportunities to trust it.

I had good movement and good location on really all of them.” Plenty of pitchers play with different pitches at this time of the year and end up abandoning them by April.It sounds as if Cole’s changeup, though, could figure into the plans of a 34-year-old who is always looking for new ways to get batters out. “It’s the evolution of a great pitcher,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think the more he throws it, the better it’s going to be,” said Cole’s catcher, Austin Wells.

“And either way, we’re going to throw it.” It was an encouraging outing on an otherwise discouraging day for the club, which saw Luis Gil cut short a bullpen session...