The Yankees’ banged up pitching staff got some good news Friday. Young righty Luis Gil posted to his Instagram that he had his first bullpen session after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year.
View this post on Instagram
Gil underwent the surgery almost a year ago, so his rehab appears to be on track. He burst on the Yankees scene and became a fan favorite in 2021, when he posted a 3.07 ERA and 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) in six starts. Gil made one additional start last season before injuring his elbow.
Gil’s future role with the Yankees remains to be seen. He was fun to watch as a starter, but has a 3.78 ERA and 4.12 FIP in his major league career. Too many walks also imply he’s best in the bullpen.
Lucky for Luis Gil, that’s almost certainly where the Yankees will need help. He should be ready to return after the All-Star Break and New York has leaned heavily on its bullpen in 2023. Losing Lou Trivino to Tommy John surgery and Tommy Kahnle to two months of biceps tendinitis has seriously overtaxed the relief corps. Manager Aaron Boone could really use another high leverage arm, especially since Scott Effross is also out for the season.
If they’re lucky, the Yankees could get another Dellin Betances in Gil. Someone who throws a blazing four-seamer paired with a biting slider. If he can handle high leverage situations without melting down into default walks, all the better. The fact is Luis Gil is a serviceable young arm in an organization. The Yankees organization is running out of reliable young pitching and should thus hold Gil close.
Josh Benjamin can be reached at Joshbenjamin86@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter– @JoshBESNY
