Yankees' Luis Gil Shines in First Rehab Performance

Help is on the way for a banged-up New York Yankees pitching staff. Just exactly when the help arrives remains uncertain.

Right-hander Luis Gil made his first rehab appearance of the season on Sunday when he took the mound for the Double-A Somerset Patriots. His final pitching line wasn't too shabby: 3 1/3 innings pitched, one earned run, one walk and six strikeouts.

Gil faced 13 batters and threw 50 pitches, 36 of which were strikes. MLB.com reported Gil touched 97 mph on the radar gun. His only mistake was a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning as the Patriots beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 5-1.

The 27-year-old can't get back to the Yankees soon enough. Last week, right-hander Clarke Schmidt joined club ace Gerrit Cole on the shelf with an arm injury requiring Tommy John surgery. In addition, concern is growing about the blister problem which prematurely forced Max Fried off the mound Saturday.

Getting Gil back would be like trading for a top-of-the-rotation arm. He's the reigningAmerican League Rookie of the Year after posting a record of 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts last season.

The New York Post's Joel Sherman and Dan Martin reported last week "Gil will be a factor to return to the rotation somewhere between the beginning of the second half and the July 31 trade deadline."

Gil is expected back in the Bronx sooner than teammate Ryan Yarbrough, who's out with an oblique injury. Sherman and Martin reported the left-hander could return in August.

The 33-year-old Yarbrough has been a revelation this year for the Yankees, going 3-1 with a 3.90 ERA in 16 appearances, including eight starts. He signed a one-year, $2 million contract with New York at the end of spring training after opting out of his deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

How Yarbrough and Gil progress over the next two weeks will no doubt impact Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and his quest to upgrade both the starting rotation and the bullpen ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline.

Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more!

• Fire Aaron Boone, Hire Yankees Legend, Former Slugger's Son Says
• Yankees Could Trade Promising Prospects To Upgrade Pitching
• Yankees Broadcaster Sounds Concerned About Trade Deadline
• Why Livvy Dunne Couldn't Buy Yankees' Babe Ruth's Apartment