The Yankees have a new ace in town with Gerrit Cole still on the mend

The Yankees are providing star pitcher Gerrit Cole with all the time necessary to recover from a nerve injury to his throwing elbow. Despite not setting a timetable for a rehab assignment, Cole demonstrated significant progress in his third bullpen session by tossing 29 pitches. He is anticipated to return to the mound in June.

In the interim, the Yankees have maintained their competitive edge, backed by one of the best bullpens in baseball and a starting rotation that continues to perform well, albeit with some inconsistency.

Cole’s Recovery and Yankees’ Current Stand

Amidst Cole’s absence, Luis Gil has emerged as a standout performer, potentially securing the number two spot in the rotation upon Cole’s return.

This season, Gil has pitched 43 innings with a stellar 2.51 ERA, including impressive stats such as 10.05 strikeouts per nine innings, a 79.9% left-on-base rate, and a 38.4% ground ball rate. His performance over the past three starts has been particularly noteworthy, allowing just one earned run across 18.1 innings.

Gil’s Dominant Performance and Future Prospects

On Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, Gil excelled by pitching six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out three batters. He expressed satisfaction with his ability to pitch a full six innings, recognizing the importance of endurance in his role.

“The really important thing about today’s game was being able to pitch six innings,” Gil said through a translator.