Facing an opposing club for the first time since last year’s World Series, Gerrit Cole said it was “a surprise” to make a fourth trip to the mound in his spring debut on Friday -- but a welcome one, because it meant he’d been efficient.

Veteran right-handers Gerrit Cole and Luis Castillo are among fantasy starting pitchers who could disappoint in 2025.

With spring training now a few weeks old, it’s clear the Yankees’ cerebral starters will be sounding boards for one another, as well as their teammates.

And, as he did on Friday during his bullpen session, Cole had one of his childhood heroes watching from behind the mound, Roger Clemens, who is in camp as a guest instructor. “It was awesome,” Cole said Sunday. “It’s really great. Álex [Rodríguez] was in the house the other day, too. It’s good vibes.

His spirits were bolstered by Roger Clemens’ presence in camp on Friday. The Rocket, who served as a one-day guest instructor, monitored Cole’s bullpen session. The two discussed their craft, including the benefits of the power splitter, Clemens’ signature pitch.

Outlook: Cole did have elbow issues as a youngster, but he entered last year as the gold standard in terms of durability. His only IL stint from 2017-23 was due to COVID, and he finished in the top five in his league in innings pitched in all seven of those seasons.