Getty Yankees manager Aaron Boone could move Luis Gil to the bullpen.
It would seem that going 8-1—the best record in the American League—with a 2.04 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 75 innings not only would put a pitcher on track for an MLB All-Star bid, but also might well make him the ace of the staff when the playoffs come around. But life with the Yankees is not always going to lead to conventional outcomes. And for starter Luis Gil, there’s still the possibility of a looming demotion ahead, despite his performance, which also includes a league-best 4.2 hits allowed per 9 innings.
At Fan Duel, Gil is the No. 6 choice (at plus-2000) to win the A.L. Cy Young award. But when it comes time to tighten up the postseason rotation, he might be Aaron Boone’s first choice to head to the bullpen.
That’s the sentiment from SNY Yankees insider Andy Martino, who foresees the chance that Gil will wind up handling critical bullpen innings in the playoffs because of his propensity to miss bats.
Luis Gil’s Swing-and-Miss Ability Makes Him a Bullpen Candidate
In an article this week titled, “Early reporting on the Yankees’ trade deadline needs and plans,” Martino wrote that the Yankees most likely target at the deadline will be bullpen help, especially a setup guy for Clay Holmes who can handle difficult jams.
But that might well be Gil.
“Ideally, manager Aaron Boone would also have a swing-and-miss guy for high-leverage spots in October, especially in the middle of innings with runners on base,” Martino wrote.
“It’s not out of the question that Cy Young candidate Luis Gil will serve in that role in the postseason. While the Yankees have not placed an innings limit on Gil in his return from Tommy John surgery, they will watch him closely to protect his health. Perhaps the timing will line up for Gil to offer limited but high-leverage innings in the playoffs.”
Yankees Will Have Playoff Choices
Certainly, at 26 years old and with just seven career games under his belt before this season, it makes sense to want to limit Gil’s potential for injury. As Martino mentioned, he did spend all of 2023 sidelined after having Tommy John surgery to end his 2022 season. But the Yankees have been letting Gil pitch this season, and he’s rewarded them by being one of the best starters in baseball.
Little was expected of Gil entering the season. That’s the primary reason he’d be considered a top choice to leave the rotation when ace Gerritt Cole returns.
Assuming Cole returns to something close to his Cy Young form—and that is no given—he presumably will have a sure role in the playoffs. Carlos Rodon and Marcus Stroman are likely to be sure bets, too. That would leave Nestor Cortes as an emergency starter and send Gil to the bullpen.
Gil does not have much experience as a reliever—never at the big-league level—and has never pitched in the postseason. The other Yankees starters have playoff experience, which presumably gives them an advantage over Gil.
However, none of them has fared particularly well once the fall rolls around outside of Cole (10-6, 2.93 ERA in the playoffs). Rodon has two playoff appearances, one start, with the White Sox, and logged a 13.50 ERA. Stroman has five playoff starts, and has been decent, at 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA. Cortes pitched well in two ALDS starts in 2022, but was bombed in the ALCS, allowing three runs in two innings.
There’s logic to moving Gil to the bullpen. But there might be some logic to maintaining him as a starter, too.