After a few pitches in his bullpen session on Friday morning, Luis Gil stopped and said he could not continue. The 26-year-old American League Rookie of the Year felt “stiffness” in his right arm, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said a few hours later. It is unlikely that the right-handed pitcher will be ready for Opening Day on March 27.
Boone said it was not an elbow injury or definitely a shoulder injury, but “somewhere further up,” gesturing toward the upper biceps. Gil is scheduled for an MRI on Saturday afternoon in Florida, and the Yankees hope to have a clearer idea of his diagnosis by Monday.
Concern in the Bombers’ camp
Neither option is good. Shoulder injuries are generally considered more problematic in pitchers than elbow injuries, but an elbow problem would bode ill for Gil, who underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2022 and missed all but two rehab games in 2023. (Although the rehabilitation process is grueling, Tommy John surgery is largely successful; according to calculations by writer Jon Roegele, 77% of professionals return to the same level of play after the operation. But those who undergo a second such operation succeed only 62% of the time).
Gil broke into the starting rotation last season and stabilized the staff, with a 3.50 ERA, while ace Gerrit Cole spent more than two months on the injured list with elbow inflammation. But the extra work, as well as the team’s run to the World Series, meant Gil pitched 159 2/3 innings in the regular season and playoffs, nearly double his career high. Considering that jump, is his injury worrisome?
“When a pitcher shuts down their bullpen, that’s concerning,” Boone said. “But I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”
Any loss of Gil would be significant (he was expected to be a key piece of their American League pennant defense) but the Yankees are prepared to weather a brief absence. Cole is healthy, as is left-hander Max Fried, whom the team signed this winter for $218 million over eight years, and left-hander Carlos Rodon. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt, who has started the spring slowly while battling back soreness, is scheduled to throw two more live batting practice sessions before making his Grapefruit League debut and has said he will be ready for Opening DayOptions to replace Gil include right-hander Marcus Stroman, who entered camp at No. 6 on the starting rotation depth chart. Stroman said when he arrived: “I’m a starter. I’m not going to pitch in the bullpen. I’m a starter.” Veteran Carlos Carrasco is also in camp on a minor league contract, and prospects Will Warren and Brent Headrick could get some time.
“You know you’re going to face some wear and tear somewhere, so hopefully it’s not something too serious,” Boone said. But he also acknowledged, “It seems like it’s something that’s going to cost us some time.”
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