The New York Yankees were shut out 1-0 by the Athletics on Thursday at Yankee Stadium. Jeffrey Springs held the Yankees hitless through six innings before Ben Rice grounded a single through the right side in the seventh to end an 0-for-36 stretch dating back to Wednesday’s fourth inning. It was the only hit New York managed all afternoon.
The offense has struggled as of late. The Yankees have not scored in 17 consecutive innings. The production from the lower half has put enormous pressure on the top of the lineup to carry every game.
Amid the offensive drought, the Yankees made a notable roster move on Thursday evening. The pitching staff is about to get a significant addition.
Pitcher Returns to the Rotation
The Yankees recalled Luis Gil from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Thursday’s game. The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year is scheduled to make his season debut on Friday to open a series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Gil opened the season in the minors because New York’s schedule did not require a fifth arm in the rotation until now. The schedule tightens this week, and the workload demands a full five-man group for the first time this season.
Gil’s 2024 campaign earned him Rookie of the Year honors. His 2025 season was interrupted by time on the injured list, and he returned without the same velocity or stuff.
In spring training, Boone noted that Gil’s command wavered at points but that he managed contact well overall. The most interesting development was the pitch mix. Gil mixed in 30 sinkers across his 85-pitch outing, a weapon he did not have in his arsenal during his first two major league seasons.
GettyLuis Gil is set to return for the Yankees.
Cole Progressing Toward Return
The Gil callup is not the only rotation development worth monitoring.
Gerrit Cole continues to advance in his recovery. He threw approximately 40 pitches in a bullpen session on Wednesday without issue. The next step is a simulated game against hitters at High-A Hudson Valley on Sunday.
If that session goes well, a rehab assignment could follow. Cole’s return would give the Yankees one of the deepest rotations in the American League, with Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers already in the mix.
Weathers was outstanding on Thursday, holding Oakland to a single run across eight innings. The staff has surrendered just 16 runs in 12 games, a number that stands as the lowest in franchise history over that span.
GettyGerrit Cole of the New York Yankees. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Yankees
Gil’s arrival gives the rotation depth it will need over the coming weeks. Cole’s progression adds another layer of optimism on the pitching side. The arms are holding up their end. The offense will wake up.
Friday night in Tampa is a fresh start. Gil gets the ball. The Yankees need the bats to show up with him.
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