Yankees right-hander Luis Gil will start the season on the injured list because of a high-grade lat strain in his pitching shoulder that will prevent him from throwing for at least six weeks.
Manager Aaron Boone announced the injury to the AL Rookie of the Year before Monday night’s spring training game against Pittsburgh.
“It’s at least a six-week no throw. We know that for sure,” Boone said.
Boone said the Yankees hope Gil will return this season, although there’s not an official timeline for when the talented pitcher might return.
“They still have to examine him and make sure other opinions and everything weigh in but right now it looks like a six-week no throw,” he said.
Gil, 26, cut short a bullpen session Friday. He was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts last year, striking out 171 and walking a major league-high 77 in 151 2/3 innings.
The Yankees are the preseason betting favorite to win the American League East (+110 odds on DraftKings), with the Orioles (+285) holding the second-shortest odds of any team to win the division. Gil went 2-1 against the Orioles in 2024, throwing two quality starts with the worst outing of his career sandwiched in between. Baltimore knocked Gil out of a June 20 game after he recorded just four outs, as he allowed seven runs before being pulled. In the other two outings, however, he allowed just two runs over 12 1/3 innings of work, striking out 12.
New York’s pitching rotation is still expected to be among the best in the American League, even with Gil sidelined. He was projected to be part of a starting rotation that includes Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt. Marcus Stroman is the most likely candidate to enter the rotation with Gil unavailable.
The Yankees open the season March 27 at home against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Baltimore Sun staff contributed to this report.
