The New York Yankees went into spring training expecting Luis Gil to solidify his spot in the starting rotation. Instead, his most recent performance raised legitimate concerns about whether he is headed in the right direction before the 2026 season begins.
Gil lasted only three innings in a 12-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers, giving up seven earned runs on nine hits, including three home runs. The right-hander threw 68 pitches for nine outs, striking out two and walking one in what quickly became one of his most troubling performances of the spring.
Spring training results rarely tell the whole story. However, when a pitcher allows loud contact and struggles to miss bats, teams begin to look beyond the box score.
Gil finds the underlying signs difficult to ignore.
Yankees Losing the Swing-and-Miss Version of Luis Gil
Gil’s breakout success stemmed from his fastball, which overwhelmed hitters. During his earlier dominant period in his career, the pitch performed above its velocity due to late ride and deception at the top of the strike zone.
The velocity itself still appears to be present.
Against Detroit, Gil’s fastball averaged 95.8 mph and peaked at 97.5 mph. However, hitters appeared to be far more comfortable against the pitch than expected. Tigers batters struck out only twice on 19 swings against Gil’s fastball, a troubling statistic for a pitcher who relies heavily on that pitch to dominate at-bats.
According to reports from the New York Post, Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake, the issue could be subtle changes to Gil’s pitch profile. A slightly lower arm slot has reduced the ride of his fastball, making it easier for hitters to track and square up.
The Tigers took advantage of the situation immediately. Spencer Torkelson hit a three-run home run in the first inning, and Matt Vierling and Riley Greene added home runs in the following innings. Each swing highlighted the same issue: Gil’s pitches were catching too much of the plate and lacked the deception that had previously made them difficult to hit.
Rotation Questions Could Put Pressure on Gil
The Yankees are publicly supporting Gil, but the reality of the roster situation makes his struggles more difficult to overlook.
Manager Aaron Boone described to Greg Joyce from the Post that Gil is “one of the five guys” in the rotation, but the team must still make important decisions as the regular season approaches. The Yankees anticipate that Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón will eventually return to the rotation, creating a competition for available spots.
Gil also has a minor-league option left, giving the Yankees flexibility if they believe he needs more time to regain his form.
That possibility becomes more likely if Gil fails to rediscover the effectiveness of his fastball and secondary pitches. His changeup, in particular, looked inconsistent against Detroit, and Torkelson punished it with an early three-run homer.
The Yankees could also try piggyback starters early in the season to balance workloads and keep multiple pitchers stretched out. In that case, Gil may not have an immediate traditional starting role.
For the time being, the Yankees are hoping he can rediscover the form that made him a long-term rotation piece. But with only one more spring start left, Gil has a limited amount of time to prove that version of himself is still present.
Yankees Facing Starting Pitcher Problem After Brutal Tigers Outing