Pitchers have been dominant

Three outs an inning.

Mike Trout being the best player on the field every game.

Gerrit Cole’s fascination with everything regarding pitching.

And just as big of a lock are pitchers being ahead of the hitters early in spring training.

Annually that is at the beginning of a six-week camp that opens in February and designed for pitchers to ease into the season. However, at the start of spring training 2.0, the Yankee arms are so far ahead of the hitters it appears Aaron Judge and friends are using bayonets to battle an opponent armed with nuclear weapons.

“I think Gerrit Cole is ahead of everybody. I think that is what happens every year in spring training,’’ lefthanded hitting outfielder Mike Tauchman said of pitchers dominating hitters. “Some of the velocity prerequisites it takes to pitch in the big leagues now, the game is getting a little bit young and the guys are throwing harder. Now when you have some 19-, 20- and 21-year-olds throwing 98 mph in their first live bullpen I think the pitchers are always going to have an advantage early.’’

Another edge the Yankee pitchers, who as a group are considered among the best in the game, have over the hitters is that during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown it was easier for pitchers to pitch than it was for hitters to find a big-league caliber pitcher to face. Former college and high school teammates don’t throw 98 mph.

“One of the advantages of facing our pitching is they run out All-Star after All-Star. I think that will help us adjust pretty quickly for when competition starts,’’ said the left-handed hitting Tauchman, who figures to be the Yankees’ fourth outfielder and capable of playing all three positions.

Reliever Zack Britton has noticed the gap between pitchers and hitters that he believes will eventually close.

“When you are at home it might be easier for a pitcher to simulate a game than it is for hitters,’’ Britton said. “What you are trying to look at is to get your velocity up to somewhere respectable and guys right now are throwing just as hard as the regular season. I have been pretty impressed with the velocity of our guys. It was expected that hitters would be a little bit behind but I definitely think as we progress toward Opening Day with the amount of live at-bats our hitters are getting and the velocity they are seeing I think guys will be ready. We have a veteran lineup and guys know what they need to do and [I] think guys will be ready when the regular season starts.’’