The New York Yankees could make a surprising decision on a former Rookie of the Year pitcher.
New York enters spring training with plenty of pitchers vying for rotation and bullpen spots. The Yankees have some question marks with their pitching staff, as Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon will miss the beginning of the season as they’re rehabbing injuries.
One pitcher who’s expected to be in the rotation is Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, but he struggled last season. If Gil struggles to begin the season, Yankees insider Chris Kirschner believes the right-hander could be moved back to the bullpen.
“Last season was a wash for Gil as he missed most of it due to a strained lat,” Kirschner wrote. “When he returned, his stuff and command were diminished compared with 2024, when he won the AL Rookie of the Year Award. There’s internal hope that Gil can be the pitcher he was in 2024. If the issues persist this year, he might be moved to the bullpen.”
Gil being moved to the bullpen just two seasons after being the Rookie of the Year would be a tough blow to him. But the Yankees have added plenty of pitching depth, which could force Gil to the bullpen if he doesn’t pitch better.
In 2025, Gil went 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 11 starts, but he was shelled in the playoffs.
Gil Focused on Improving Mechanics
Gil had issues in 2025 with his command and mechanics, which he’s looking to improve on this season.
The right-hander dealt with mechanical issues last season. Early in spring training, he said it was his goal to improve them.
“Improving control and mechanics is really important for me,’’ Gil said.
Gil, meanwhile, points to his teammate Gerrit Cole as someone with great mechanics and the ability to change velocity. Which is something he wants to do.
“You look at a guy like Gerrit Cole,’’ said Gil. “I think it’s just a matter of pitching effectively, finding the right balance that can make you better.’’
Gil believes he was holding back a little bit last season due to the lat injury, as he lost about a full MPH on his fastball. So, he’s hoping he can gain the velocity back, but can also control it in 2026 to regain his 2024 form when he was a solid starter for the Yankees.
Yankees Feel Good About Rotation
Although New York will be without Cole and Rodon to begin the season, the Yankees like their rotation.
New York’s rotation is led by Max Fried, who’s one of the top pitchers in all of baseball. And, Yankees manager Aaron Boone believes Rodon could be back soon, which will further bolster their rotation.
“I don’t think Carlos is going to be very long,” Boone said in a video posted on Feb. 8 on MLB Network Radio. “We’re in Tampa now. I watched him throw his bullpen two days ago, so he’s already well into his mountain progression. We’re not going to rush him back.
“Obviously, we want to make sure he’s built up properly, but I don’t expect it to be too long. Gerrit’s been doing great, but again, not something where we’re going to certainly rush him. But yeah, I do feel good about it. We’re talking about probably [Max] Fried, [Cam] Schlittler, [Will] Warren, [Ryan] Weathers, and [Luis] Gil to start the season in the rotation.”
The Yankees open their season on March 25 against the San Francisco Giants.
Yankees Could Make Surprising Decision on Former Rookie of the Year Pitcher