Luis Gil’s Success Continues to be Huge for Yankees Rotation

New York Yankees right-hander Luis Gil has been lights out and a major success so far in his role as the fifth starter, and his future in the rotation is being solidified outing by outing. 

The knowledge between Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone, and the baseball operations staff in the Bronx is on full display right now on the mound. In addition to their offseason acquisitions, the decision of which arm to plug into the rotation while we wait for Gerrit Cole is paying dividends.  Gil is making a strong pitch to stay long-term with his 2024 performance. 

Luis Gil’s Success in Providing Quality Starts for Yankees

Yankees nation has been so intrigued by the performance of Gil that the urgency for Gerrit Cole’s return is almost non-existent. The fanbase understands how untouchable the pitching staff can be once a healthy and effective Cole returns to play. However, dominance from the righty plus endless offensive support from the lineup is keeping the Yankees rolling through victory after victory with Gil on the mound.

Gil sits on a .800 win-loss percentage with a 4-1 record. He has an impressive 2.51 ERA in 43 innings of work. He has struck out 48 batters and walked 26 of the 175 batters faced. With a bit of load management at the beginning of the season, Gil has worked his way up to an average of six innings of work per outing, setting things up for short relief from the pen. 

So far this season, Gil averages about two runs allowed per game and also six strikeouts per game. Plus, his batting average against per game has not reached .180 or exceeded that as of yet. From April 1st to date, his pitch-to-strike ratio is 755-451, which is above 50%. 

Game Review and Analysis

To get a good sense of Gil’s success on the mound, it is important to understand his approach and offerings. On April 24th, the Yankees faced the Tampa Bay Rays with Gil on the bump. He threw 5 2/3 innings with two hits, one run (zero earned), three walks, and nine strikeouts. This is probably one of the most impressive starts this year for the youngster.

Gil threw 97 pitches that game, with the four-seam fastball being the dominant option. He threw 56 four-seamers, 27 changeups, and 14 sliders. His fastball had tail and zip on it, with vertical movement between 11-18 inches and horizontal movement between three to 11 inches. The changeup and slider sat between -21 to -38 inches of vertical movement.