Luis Gil has made four starts and has yet to allow more than three hits in any. His stuff plays. Opposing hitters rarely square him up.
The issue before Sunday’s start: walks. He had given out 14 free passes in 14 innings pitched, a major reason he hadn’t recorded an out past the fifth inning.
That changed in the series finale against the Rays.
Gil’s command was much better, and he was able to work into the sixth inning while registering a career-high nine strikeouts, as the Yankees took the series with this 5-4 victory at the Stadium.
“It’s a really good peek at how good he is when he’s filling up the strike zone,” manager Aaron Boone said.
This was a step in the right direction for Gil after he walked seven in a loss to the Blue Jays.
He was frequently ahead of hitters and the lone run he allowed came courtesy of his own two mistakes — a wild throw on a pickoff attempt and a balk.
He walked three, issuing two to the final two batters he faced in the sixth inning. By then, he had run out of gas, throwing 97 pitches.
It was the second major league win of his career, and his first since Aug. 3, 2021. In between, he underwent Tommy John surgery and made only a pair of minor league outings last year.
Before Gerrit Cole’s elbow injury the 6-foot-2 Gil wasn’t going to be part of the rotation this season.
He was sent to minor league camp early in spring training, but once a need arose, he beat out Will Warren and Clayton Beeter.
“He basically said, ‘Hey, I’m ready’ with his performance and how he was throwing the ball,” Boone said. “It was kind of undeniable. Really, he just kicked the door in.”
With a 2.75 ERA through four starts, Gil has proven the Yankees made the right decision, and there is so much room for growth if he can improve his control. This was a promising step forward.
“When you play this game, you understand this is a game of adjustments,” Gil said through a translator. “I really enjoy that. I enjoy watching video of what I do and pick up on the little things that are not working correctly. … It allowed me to be more comfortable on the mound and more consistent.”
