After a 15-day stint on the injured list due to a lower back strain, Luis Gil is rejoining the New York Yankees. The team reinstated the rookie pitcher on Thursday, and he is set to start against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. In a related move, the Yankees have optioned reliever Scott Effross to Triple-A.
Gil was placed on the injured list on August 21 after leaving his start in the fourth inning the day before. He made a rehab appearance 11 days later, striking out six batters in 3 2/3 innings last Sunday. While Yankees manager Aaron Boone described Gil’s minor-league performance as “OK,” he noted some positives, saying, “The stuff was good… had a long first inning, threw about 38 pitches, but overall, it was alright.”
Before his injury, Gil made 24 appearances and was one of the top rookie pitchers, holding a 12-6 record with a 3.39 ERA and 144 strikeouts over 124 2/3 innings. However, he has struggled with walks, leading all MLB pitchers with 66 free passes despite missing three starts. Opponents have a .185 average against him, and he has allowed more than three runs in only five of his 24 starts.
The Yankees are also preparing to welcome back fellow starter Clarke Schmidt, who is expected to return this weekend and pitch on Saturday. Schmidt has been sidelined for over three months due to a lat strain after a strong start to the season.
With both Gil and Schmidt returning, Yankees manager Aaron Boone and his staff face important decisions as the playoffs approach. The team will have six active starters when Schmidt is officially added to the roster, with Nestor Cortes moving to a long-relief role in the bullpen.
Leave a Reply