Sep 28, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) reacts as he heads to the dugout after the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images John Jones-Imagn Images

Yankees Urged to Make Bold Luis Gil Move

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Oct 13, 2025 5:00 PM ET

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil didn't have the season anyone expected. After returning from injury, fans and analysts alike thought Gil would be completely shutting down opponents, another weapon in a stacked starting pitcher arsenal for the Pinstripes. Instead, Gil's season ended with a whimper, throwing a 6.75 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in his sole postseason game, against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bold Luis Gil Move

While Gil has an impressive arm — so impressive, in fact, that he won the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year award — he wasn't his old self in 2025 after sustaining a high-grade lat strain during spring training. Due to these struggles, the Athletic's Chris Kirschner suggested a bold move for the pitcher: moving him to the bullpen.

"Command has always been Gil's biggest issue. In his last few starts of the season, Gil was taking velocity off his fastball so he could locate it better in the zone. Gil's average fastball last season was 96.6 MPH, but it dropped to 95.3 MPH this year," Kirschner wrote.

"Moving Gil to the bullpen would help simplify his mechanics in shorter outings, while also allowing him to rear back for the high velocity he has in his arm," he continued.

John Jones-Imagn Images

Yankees Bullpen Needs Improvement

While the Yankees made big plays before the 2025 trade deadline for relievers David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Jake Bird, the Pinstripes still had difficulty closing things out in the second half of the season.

Bednar, the hottest reliever on the trade market coming from the Pittsburgh Pirates, is the most skilled of the three with a 2.19 ERA for the Yankees in the regular season. He managed to close out both New York wins over the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card Series despite never playing a post-season game in his seven-year MLB career. However, even Bednar is frequently at his best when kept to one inning.

If Gil can make a move to the bullpen and be the kind of reliable, multi-inning closer the Yankees lacked all season, it might just make sense. The starting rotation is far more locked down in 2026, with Max Fried and Carlos Rodón both on multi-year contracts, Cam Schlittler lighting things up in his debut season and Gerrit Cole returning from Tommy John recovery.

While Gil could very well cement his place in that rotation, the Yankees need more help with closing games and solidifying wins, and the 27-year-old could be the answer.

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