Potential Replacement for Gerrit Cole’s Injury: Luis Gil Could Fill Yankees’ Rotation Spot
The New York Yankees may have found their potential replacement for the injured Gerrit Cole in the form of Luis Gil. Gil was initially optioned out of camp on March 3 as he was slowly building up after undergoing Tommy John surgery. However, in the past two weeks, he has shown dominant stuff on the mound and has caught the attention of both fans and coaches.
In his most recent outing against the Blue Jays, Gil was exceptional. He cruised through a representative lineup, just as he did against the Phillies earlier in the week. Manager Aaron Boone went as far as calling his start against the Phillies “probably the outing of the spring by anyone.” This praise is well-deserved considering Gil’s performance throughout the Grapefruit League.
In four games and two starts, Gil has allowed only three runs in 11 ²/₃ innings, resulting in an impressive 2.31 ERA. He has struck out 18 batters and issued only four walks. Opposing hitters are batting a mere .125 against him. These statistics have placed Gil “right in the conversation” for the fifth starter position, according to Boone.
One of the most encouraging aspects of Gil’s performance is his ability to throw his secondary pitches for strikes. This allows his elite fastball to play up and keep hitters off-balance. His fastball has reached speeds as high as 99.1 mph, complemented by his slider and new changeup. Gil’s improved changeup has been particularly effective, as demonstrated by strikeouts against notable Toronto hitters like Bo Bichette and Kevin Kiermaier.
It’s important to note that the Yankees will be cautious with Gil’s workload. After debuting with promise in 2021, he suffered a season-ending injury that required Tommy John surgery. He made a couple of appearances with Low-A Tampa last year to ease back into pitching. Gil was able to build up to 56 pitches in his recent outing, but the team is unsure if he will be ready for a full workload at the start of the season.
Gil faces competition for the fifth starter spot, including pitchers with major league experience like Cody Poteet and Luke Weaver, as well as prospects Will Warren and Clayton Beeter. General manager Brian Cashman expressed confidence in their options and praised Gil’s performance, acknowledging his potential.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the rotation spot, Gil remains focused on his mindset throughout camp. He understands that decisions are out of his hands and is prepared to seize any opportunity given to him. Whether he becomes the fifth starter or not, Gil has certainly made a strong case for himself with his impressive performances in the Grapefruit League.
The Yankees’ potential replacement for Gerrit Cole’s injury may just be Luis Gil. With his dominant stuff on the mound and ability to keep hitters off-balance, Gil has shown that he is more than capable of filling the rotation spot. As the season approaches, it will be interesting to see if Gil’s impressive performances will earn him a place in the starting rotation.
