Yankees' Forgotten Pitcher Might Be Done in Pinstripes

Earlier this season, Luis Gil was a member of the New York Yankees' starting rotation as a result of both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon being sidelined to begin the year.

Everyone knew that at some point, someone was going to have to go to the bullpen once those two returned, and Gil was widely viewed as an arm who would probably have to transition into a relief role.

Instead, Gil was demoted to Triple-A and suffered a shoulder injury that had kept him on the shelf since April. He just recently returned and tossed two innings at Triple-A, striking out two and issuing two walks without allowing a run.

There is no clear path back to the majors for Gil, and to be quite frank, it's entirely possible we have seen the last of the right-hander in pinstripes.

Gil has been laboring for two seasons now. He didn't even look close to top form in his 11 starts last year, averaging just 6.5 strikeouts per nine innings while posting a 5.2 BB/9. And in four big-league starts this season, he owns a 6.05 ERA and pitiful 0.82 K/BB ratio.

The flamethrower who won the AL Rookie of the Year award back in 2024 seems long gone, and while Gil isn't ancient, he is 28 years old. He isn't a prospect anymore.

The Yankees have an absolutely loaded starting rotation. It's so loaded, in fact, that one of Ryan Weathers or Will Warren will have to move to the bullpen if Max Fried is able to return at some point between now and the end of the season.

So how could there possibly be any room for Gil?

Perhaps the Dominican native can transition into a relief role himself, utilizing his nasty stuff to become a shutdown late-inning hurler. The problem? Gil has severe command issues, owning a lifetime 4.9 BB/9 across five major-league campaigns.

Gil also seems to have lost his velocity the last couple of seasons, and his strikeout rate has plummeted as a result.

It's not like Gil has a whole lot of trade value at this point, either. Remember when New York refused to include him in a trade package for Kyle Tucker after 2024? Those days are long over. Now, the Yankees would be fortunate to get anything of value for him.

Once a dynamic starter on the staff, Gil's name is scarcely even mentioned anymore. He has become an afterthought in the Bronx, and it's hard to envision that changing.

Gil may very well have thrown his last pitch in pinstripes.