One of the biggest storylines of 2024 for the Yankees is the emergence of Luis Gil. In Spring Training, there were many questions about who would be the fifth starter in their rotation. The finalists were Will Warren, Clayton Beeter, and Luis Gil.
All pitched great throughout, but Gil stood out above the rest. He has emerged as the future ace. His fastball was elite sitting at 97 and would get up to 100 MPH, along with a filthy slider and changeup. Gil made his debut in 2021 but underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2022.
With Gerrit Cole going down with an elbow injury, Luis Gil had a chance to step up and be the future ace.
Going Back to Where It Started
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MAY 12: Starting pitcher Luis Gil #81 of the New York Yankees delivers the baseball in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 12, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)Back in 2018, the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins made a trade. New York sent Outfielder Jake Cave to Minnesota in exchange for Starting Pitcher Luis Gil. The Twins liked what Cave could bring to their team, and felt that Gil’s arm injuries were too much for them to work through.
The Yankees saw the long-term potential that Gil possessed when he was healthy. When the trade was made, Gil was only 19 years old. Brian Cashman and the organization took a chance on the future ace that he’s developing this season.
How Luis Gil Is Becoming The Future Ace
Luis Gil has been the Yankees’ best pitcher, and it’s not close. This season he’s started 11 games, with a 7-1 record, posting a 1.99 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Early on in the season, Gil was struggling with his command, falling behind in counts which would cause his pitch count to skyrocket. It was clear he wasn’t very confident on the mound enough to throw pitches over the plate. But now, it is clear that Gil is the team’s future ace.
That has since changed. You can see every time he steps on the mound how confident he is as he’s quickly attacking hitters, averaging absurd strikeout numbers. He has a 30.7% K rate, and 79 strikeouts (9th best). Gil has taken control and is pounding the strike zone.
While he hasn’t been on the field, Gerrit Cole has been a huge contributor to Gil’s success. Cole has said nothing but positive things about Gil’s dominance this season, especially how good the fastball’s been. You can see on TV how Cole will immediately come up to him to break down the pitches he threw, and what he can improve on when he heads back out. Cole has a lot of confidence in the Yankees’ future ace.
How Does Gil Fit in The Rotation?
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As of now, Gil remains the Yankees’ fifth starter. Next season I’d expect him to become the third option behind Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon. If he continues to pitch this well, it’s very likely he could become the number two starter in the Yankees rotation.
Gil is solidifying himself as the future ace of this pitching staff, and it’ll be exciting to watch him get better and better.
About the Author
Brandon is a lifelong Broncos, Yankees, Rangers, and 76ers fan. He writes for Total Apex about sports. Brandon writes about the NHL, NBA, MLB, and NFL. Follow Brandon on X @BroncosbyBran to see more of his work, click here.
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