New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil was named the team’s fifth starter after a strong Spring Training. They held a competition for the role with Gil, Clayton Beeter, Cody Poteet, Will Warren, and Luke Weaver. Overall, it was Gil’s consistency that won him the job.
Luis Gil‘s Spring Statistics
In five games, Gil had a 2.87 ERA and threw 15.2 innings, often around 50 to 60 pitches per start. While spring statistics are largely meaningless, he was the most impressive with his mix of pitches. The only thing left for Gil is to get more innings pitched in his first few regular-season starts. This will allow him to get his arm in game shape for a full season.
Luis Gil's 5Ks. pic.twitter.com/oS9Qd3V5u8
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 22, 2024
Pitch Selection
Gil consistently hits 100 mph with his four-seam fastball. He also throws a slider and a new and improved changeup. This spring, his new changeup showed impressive command and much-improved movement in the strike zone.
Luis Gil’s MLB Experience
Gil was promoted to the big-league club in 2021 and started with 15.2 scoreless innings. That was the most by any Yankees pitcher since 1961. He is also the first pitcher in MLB history with a scoreless start in each of his first three appearances.
Arm Surgery in 2022
On May 21, 2022, it was announced that Gil would require Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the 2022 season. He returned to action in Sept. 2023 after making two rehab starts for the High-A Tampa Tarpons. He was invited to Spring Training for 2024.
Yankees Top 10 prospect, Luis Gil, leaves his start in Worcester with an arm injury after throwing a pitch pic.twitter.com/IIcIWkVjo5
— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) May 19, 2022
Luis Gil Provides Immediate Help
Gil will need to provide immediate help. The Yankees’ rotation is not particularly deep at the moment. On top of that, Gerrit Cole will miss the first few months of the regular season as he recovers from elbow inflammation.
We know no pitcher can fill Cole’s absence until he returns. However, the Yankees need whatever they can get from the current starters and Gil, including effective pitching and plenty of innings. Then, they can let their bullpen, which has routinely been a strength, take over.
Outlook
Luis Gil missed almost two years but is now healthy and has been named the Yankees’ fifth starter. Injuries show us year after year how important it is to have more than five starters ready to go at all times. In Gil, the Yankees have a talented arm option with the potential to be a quality starter. He is highly motivated to be a reliable starter on this Yankees team. If he can be effective until Cole returns (potentially in late May), he will remain a starter even after the ace re-enters the rotation.
The #Yankees will open the regular season with this starting rotation:
Nestor Cortes
Carlos Rodón
Marcus Stroman
Clarke Schmidt
Luis Gil— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) March 24, 2024
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