
The strength of the starting rotation is a concern for the New York Yankees this year. Gerrit Cole and Carlos are starting the season on the IL, with both pitchers undergoing surgery last year. So Luis Gil was expected to play a starring role for the Yankees in 2026. However, Gil struggled to make a good impression at spring training ahead of the upcoming campaign.
On Tuesday, the New York Yankees announced that Luis Gil will start the 2026 season in Triple-A with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Manager Aaron Boone stated the Yankees’ front office wants Gil to make some improvements in the minors. They expect him to be back in their rotation when they require a fifth starter down the road.
“We expect him to be in the rotation, but at the same time. There’s a lot of people pushing for competition right now that are pushing themselves into the conversation,” Boone said, as per MLB.com. “That competition is going to remain. So it’s important that he continues the trajectory he’s been on since the start of camp.”
Yankees have optioned Luis Gil to the Minor Leagues
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 24, 2026
(via @GJoyce9) pic.twitter.com/NZkYJ5qlst
Luis Gil posted an excellent 2024 campaign for the Yankees to win American League Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, he was shut down for the majority of the 2025 campaign due to a high-grade lat strain. He eventually returned to the team from the 60-day IL in August.
New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone clarified there is no physical issue behind the lackluster display from Luis Gil in spring training this year. The 27-year-old right-hander pitched 19.1 innings over six starts, finishing on a 2-1 record with a 4.66 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
“It’s a guy in the physical prime of his career, and like the measurable numbers, like the physical evaluations that strength and conditioning does, he’s in the best physical place he’s ever been in his life,” Boone said.
A welcome sight for Yankee fans. After a rough spring, Luis Gil finishes strong.
— Tablesetters: A Baseball Podcast (@tablesetterspod) March 20, 2026
5 IP l 0 ER l 1 BB l 1 H l 7 Ks
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“He’s as strong as he’s ever been, and we feel like that’s going to translate, hopefully, based on what we saw in his last outing.”
Luis Gil made just 11 starts for the Yankees after returning from the IL last year. He ended the year on a 4-1 record with a 3.32 over 57.0 innings.
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