In the Yankees 4-0 win last night against the Red Sox at Fenway Park in the rivalry’s first matchup of the year, it was starting pitcher Luis Gil who pitched considerably well against a Red Sox lineup that has struggled to begin the 2026 season.
Gil pitched 6 ⅓ shutout innings, allowing just two hits, walking three batters and striking out two. Gil generated six ground balls and pitched some pretty efficient innings, with a seven pitch inning in the bottom of the 4th, and a five pitch inning in the bottom of the 6th.
Gil didn’t generate much swing and miss tonight with just the two strikeouts, one coming against Roman Anthony in the bottom of the first and the other against Caleb Durbin in the second. The Red Sox lineup however could not generate any momentum on the bases or with the bats entirely, collecting just four hits all game, compared to the Yankees ten.
Gil’s Command Was Improved Compred To Previous Starts
The most positive indicator about this performance is Gil’s command, which only really faltered in the bottom of the seventh when he walked the last two batters he faced. Other than that, Gil showed better command with his pitches and attacking the strike zone, something he struggled with mightily in his previous two outings against the Angels and Tampa Bay.
What’s also interesting to note is Yankees beat writer Chris Kirschner of The Athletic tweeted out last night during the game that Gil’s fastball and slider pitches were both down a tick, his fastball “1.7 mph” and slider 3.8 mph, but still managed to throw 6 ⅓ scoreless innings”, states Kirschner. He also noted how Gil only had “3 swings and misses on his fastball”, according to Kirschner.
Getty
Whether this is more so on the Red Sox lineup, which ranks 29th in all of baseball in home runs (13) as a team and OPS (.652) according to mlb.com , or credit to Gil for attacking the zone, is a bit uncertain, but regardless, this is an outing and overall performance that was needed from Gil, and something he can build upon in the weeks ahead.
Yankees Starting Rotation Will Only Get Stronger
The Yankees fifth rotation spot will get a bit of a shakeup at some point during the 2026 season, in which Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are working their way at this moment through rehab assignments. Once both those starting pitchers return, the Yankees will have to figure out who to move from the fifth spot to either the bullpen, or perhaps maybe even triple a depth, in which would either be Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, or Luis Gil. The Yankees could also possibly go with a six man rotation, but regardless, when Cole and Rodon are both in the starting rotation this year, it will still require someone in the back end of the rotation to not have a spot.
Gerrit Cole has already started his rehab with the Yankees Double A affiliate in Somerset, New Jersey, in which he pitched last Friday and threw 4.1 innings. Cole has now been assigned to Hudson Valley Renegades, where he will make another rehab outing, and Rodon will also pitch as well, according to manager Aaron Boone.
Cole is scheduled to start this Thursday whereas Rodon will pitch Friday, per Joe Vasile. While Rodon has yet to pitch in a rehab game he’s projected to return for the Yankees sometime in May after dealing with some setbacks in his recovery, whereas Cole, since recovering from Tommy John Surgery last year, is expected back for the Yankees sometime near or around the all star break, which is during the summer.
In the interim, the Yankees rotation with this latest performance from Gil seems to be in good standing shape for now, while of course they wait for further reinforcements in Cole and Rodon, in which by then some decisions about the back end of this rotation will have to be made.
Yankees’ Luis Gil Shuts Down Red Sox