Yankees' star rookie pitcher tosses a perfectly-timed gem
09/06/2024 07:32 PM
New York Yankees rookie pitcher Luis Gil hadn’t pitched since August 20, when he had to leave an important game against the Cleveland Guardians with back discomfort. He was later diagnosed with a lower back strain and placed on the injured list.
Until Friday.
After a short absence, Gil returned to the Yankees rotation in style, dominating the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field for six innings and putting his team in the best possible position to win the game.
Gil lowered his season ERA to a cool 3.24 after tossing six scoreless frames in which he conceded just a single hit and two walks, striking out seven batters. He looked almost exactly like his early-season version, which was virtually unhittable, except for one little detail: fastball velocity.
Gil looked phenomenal and will surely stick in the Yankees’ rotation
There were some concerns about his fastball velo, as he threw one as slow as 91.3 mph. He ended up averaging 95 mph with the heater, a little down considering his yearly average of 96.8 mph. He did pump one at 98.3 and several at 97 mph, so he isn’t that far from where he wants to be.
Gil’s stuff otherwise looked nasty, as he mixed in four-seamers with an incredible slider and some changeups. He got 15 whiffs in the afternoon and appears to be close to top form.
The best news of the game is that he came out of it healthy, without reporting any discomfort, and that he tossed 89 pitches. Gil should be ready to approach 100 in his next turn if the Yankees need it.
His excellent start comes at the best possible time, as Marcus Stroman and Nestor Cortes both struggled in their last turn. The staff could use some consistency, and Gil is certainly capable of offering it.
Fellow right-hander Clarke Schmidt will return from his own injury this weekend against the Cubs, potentially forcing manager Aaron Boone to make some tough decisions depending on what he sees.
It’s fair to say Gil will keep his spot in the rotation, though.
