TAMPA — Whenever Gerrit Cole returns to the big league mound, he plans to do so with a slightly tweaked windup.
During his first bullpen session of spring training Friday, Cole unveiled a new delivery in which he raises his hands over his head instead of keeping them by his belt or chest, as he previously did before undergoing Tommy John surgery last March.
“Just felt good,” Cole said of the change. “Throwing on the back fields during the summer and tried it out. I’ve had little idiosyncrasies that have changed over the years from still hands to a drop or hands off the body, close to the body. I think I generally just like the rhythm of it.”
Cole has long been known for his simple and repeatable delivery, which played a hand in the right-hander maintaining good health before finally needing elbow surgery last year.
But the 35-year-old still made the new-look windup look smooth Friday.
“When I think of Gerrit and his greatness, a lot of it ties to … his delivery is just so outstanding,” manager Aaron Boone said. “That’s [still] the case. Everything looks like it’s coming out free and easy, command. He looks to be in a really good place.
“I’ve been saying it around here today after seeing it, that diver that dives off the high board and just goes in the water and makes no splash — that’s Gerrit on the mound. He’s just really efficient.”
The Yankees officially invited veteran reliever Rafael Montero to big league camp Friday after signing him to a minor league deal to join their bullpen competition.
The 35-year-old posted a 4.48 ERA in 59 games last season, but he finished strong with a 2.86 ERA in 20 games with the Tigers down the stretch.
“There’s some things we really like that he was doing last year,” Boone said. “Maybe some small adjustments we can make to help him. Hopefully, he can push himself into the mix.”
Cam Schlittler played catch again Friday, as the Yankees have him continuing to throw on flat ground as he deals with mid-back/left lat inflammation.
“I haven’t got the end-of-day report on him yet but he kind of brushes it off, like, ‘No biggie,’ ” Boone said. “Hopefully this is something that just slowing him down serves him well in the total buildup — I think it will. We’ll see how the next day or two unfolds to see when he gets back on the mound. But hopefully pretty quick.”
Relievers David Bednar, Fernando Cruz, Jake Bird and Brent Headrick each threw an inning of live batting practice Friday afternoon.
