Yankees RHP Luis Gil Gets Excused Absence from Minor League Rehab Bullpen Session

Gil initially was expected to pitch Sunday.

Gil, 27, is the reigning American League Rookie of the Year. He was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 appearances (all starts) in 2024. In 151.2 innings, he struck out 171 batters but allowed 18 home runs and walked a major league high of 77.

The right-hander experienced tightness in his pitching shoulder during spring training on Feb. 28. He traveled to New York the following week and underwent an MRI that showed a high-grade lat strain and was told not to throw for at least six weeks.

The Yankees announced in mid-April that Gil had experienced a setback and would resume throwing closer to May.

On June 21, he threw to batters for the first time in spring, throwing about 20 pitches in a workout at Yankee Stadium.

"I felt it looked really good," manager Aaron Boone said, per ESPN. "I think he was 95, 96 [mph]. It looked every bit of that, looked like it. Just the metrics on the four-seam were really good, and I thought he was in control of himself. So free and easy."

"I felt really good out there," Gil said through an interpreter. "It's been a long process. You heal little by little. It felt good to get on the mound to face some hitters."

The Somerset Patriots open a six-game home series Tuesday against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays affiliate).

The Yankees are in a dogfight in the American League East, entering play Thursday night one game in front of the Blue Jays in the division, 1.5 games up on the Tampa Bay Rays. They will need top-flight pitching to carry them through the rest of the season.