New York Yankees Reveal Major Pitching Announcement

The New York Yankees knew they would have to manage without Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon heading into the 2026 MLB season, but things have become a bit more complicated than they initially anticipated.

Thanks to Spring Training struggles from Ryan Weathers and Luis Gil, the Yankees' back end of the rotation is now facing some pretty serious issues.

Gil definitely rebounded with a strong start late last week, but he labored throughout much of the spring. And remember: he didn't pitch all that well last year after returning from injury.

But apparently, New York won't be beginning 2026 with Gil in the rotation.

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com has reported that the Yankees will roll with a four-man rotation to start the campaign and that Gil will not be a part of it.

Hoch added that New York is not yet sure what this will mean for Gil as far as whether or not he will begin the season in the minor leagues.

The chances of the Yanks moving Gil to the bullpen right off the bat seem rather slim, as it seems hard to imagine the Yankees taking that risk.

Based on how New York used Gil in Spring Training, it clearly still views the 27-year-old as a starter, and with Gil having command issues, converting into a reliever — especially so abruptly — does not seem to be the wisest move, anyway.

The Yankees certainly won't stick with a four-man rotation. This is pretty standard to start a regular season, so it's entirely possible that Gil will make a start or two in Triple-A before being recalled to the big-league squad.

Gil made his major-league debut in 2021, but injuries derailed his early years in the bigs. In fact, the right-hander made just seven starts in the majors between 2021 and 2023.

But then, in 2024, the Dominican native enjoyed a breakout campaign, logging a 3.50 ERA while allowing 104 hits and racking up 171 strikeouts over 151.2 innings of work. He struggled in the second half, but he displayed stretches of dominance.

Unfortunately, Gil missed several months last season due to a lat injury, and while he did manage a 3.32 ERA across 11 starts, his velocity wasn't there, and his 6.8 K/9 was beyond alarming.

Gil will be competing with both Weathers and Will Warren for the final slot in the rotation once Cole and Rodon are back on the mound, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Gil in the Bronx.

Yankees Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Yankees. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.