Right-hander Luis Gil is expected to rejoin the Yankees next week, manager Aaron Boone told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. The skipper said Gil will be back with the big-league club on regular rest following his Triple-A start on Sunday. That would line him up to pitch on Friday against the Rays.
New York went into the season with a four-man rotation. Several off days allowed the club to skip the fifth starter spot during the first two weeks of the campaign. That left Gil on the outside looking in for a role on the Opening Day squad, and he was ultimately optioned to the minors. The 27-year-old righty made six appearances in MLB Spring Training. Tomorrow’s outing will be his first, and likely his only, with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The four-man approach went about as well as Boone could’ve hoped for to begin the year. The Yankees’ starting pitchers entered play on Saturday leading the league in ERA and ranking second in WHIP. The foursome of Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers racked up five wins in seven tries. Weathers ran into some trouble against the Marlins tonight, but it’s still been a stellar start for the rotation.
After a handful of appearances in 2021 and 2022, Gil missed all of 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2024 and became an integral part of New York’s pitching staff. The righty notched a 3.50 ERA with a 26.8% strikeout rate across 29 starts. The performance was good enough to narrowly edge Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser for AL Rookie of the Year honors.
Gil went down with a lat strain shortly before the 2025 season. He was limited to 57 innings last year. Gil managed a 3.32 ERA, but his xFIP and SIERA were well above 5.00. His strikeout rate slipped to 16.8%, while his walk rate jumped to 13.5%, his worst mark since his 2021 debut.
The Yankees will need a roster move to add Gil to the 26-man roster. The demotion will almost certainly be a member of the nine-man bullpen. Jake Bird and Brent Headrick both have minor league options. So do Camilo Doval and Fernando Cruz, but they’re both key cogs of the late-inning group. Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest made the team in Gil’s spot. He’s yet to appear in a game this season. The lack of usage could suggest Winquest isn’t long for the club.
Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images
