Yankees’ Record-Breaking Rookie Named ‘Likeliest’ to Lose Spot to Gerrit Cole
The New York Yankees have surged to the second-most wins in MLB, fueled not only by the powerful bats of Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton but also by a surprisingly strong starting rotation, even in the absence of their franchise ace, Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees boast the best ERA in the majors at 2.81, despite Cole beginning the season on the injured list. Rookie Luis Gil has been a standout, recently breaking Orlando Hernandez’s franchise record for most strikeouts by a rookie pitcher with 14 strikeouts in his latest start.
However, with Cole nearing his return, Gil’s impressive performance might not be enough to keep him in the starting rotation.
“Manager Aaron Boone will have a difficult decision to make regarding who moves to the bullpen when Cole returns, which is still several weeks away,” reported Chris Kirschner for The Athletic. “While Gil doesn’t have a traditional innings limit, his workload will be monitored, making him the likeliest candidate to lose his spot in the rotation.”
The New York Yankees Will Likely Be Careful With Luis Gil
Luis Gil leads the Yankees’ pitching staff in strikeouts, ERA, and opposing batting average. However, after missing all of the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery and with only 33.1 innings pitched in his career before this season, the Yankees might consider moving him to the bullpen or even sending him to the minor leagues to preserve his health as they push towards the playoffs.
“While the Yankees won’t suddenly bring Gil’s season to an abrupt halt altogether once he reaches a certain amount of innings this summer, they do need to be mindful of how the 25-year-old is responding to pitching every five days,” noted Max Goodman for NJ.com. “A move to the bullpen (or a trip down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) would be the best way to limit his innings and preserve his bullets.”
On performance grounds, Nestor Cortes could be a candidate for relegation to make room for Cole, given his 3.56 ERA and only two wins in 10 starts so far. However, if the team feels confident with Cortes on the mound, taking a conservative approach with Gil would be sensible for the long-term. As a rookie making just $750,000 this season and under team control for several more years, Gil’s arm is likely seen by the front office as a valuable long-term asset.
The New York Yankees Might Not Have a Clear-Cut Decision When Gerrit Cole Returns
Still, much can change before Cole potentially rejoins the staff. The veteran pitcher has progressed to throwing bullpen sessions and could face live batters this week. However, he isn’t eligible to return from the injured list until late May and will need to complete a rehab assignment before rejoining the big-league rotation. A mid-June return seems most likely.
“Speaking of injuries, there’s always the possibility that someone gets hurt from now until when Cole is back,” Goodman added. “Cortes, Carlos Rodón, and Marcus Stroman were all impeded by injuries last season. Their histories on the IL make it hard to anticipate that all three will be able to stay healthy for the entire year.”
With these uncertainties, the Yankees will need to remain flexible in their rotation plans as they await Cole’s return.