Ryan Garcia
As recently as yesterday afternoon on the Fireside Yankees YouTube Channel, I mentioned that Luis Gil was the pitcher I was most concerned about, but things changed on a dime last night.
The right-hander re-discovered the fastball velocity that he had been unable to find all Spring Training which was a massive development for his health and mechanical efficiency.
Sitting around 97 MPH and topping out at 99 MPH, Gil was dominant and blew heat by a Baltimore lineup full of everyday regulars such as Taylor Ward and Pete Alonso.
He also began throwing a new sinker, a pitch that could help him keep the ball on the ground at a higher rate while also serving as a way to keep hitters off of his four-seamer.
You could have made the argument that the Yankees should demote Luis Gil to Triple-A to begin the season, but now he looks like a pitcher who deserves a chance to prove himself in real games.
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The Yankees Continue To Flex Pitching Development Muscles With Luis Gil
Just when I was out, Luis Gil pulls me back in by throwing a pretty solid sinker that fits his pitch mix well, blending in with his changeup to induce some soft contact on the ground.
He averaged about 14 inches of run with a decent amount of depth which should allow him to keep hitters off-balance by having another pitch to keep in mind.
Gil had tried to skate by as a three-pitch pitcher but I didn’t believe that was very sustainable and last year showed that, now he’s a more complete pitcher capable of getting through a lineup multiple times if the command is there.
The other massive positive was his fastball velocity, which shot up significantly in his final tune-up start before the regular season kicks off.
Luis Gil has not exceeding sitting 96.8 MPH on his fastball in an outing since August 12th, 2024, a sign that his arm is in a much better spot than it was in 2025.
Matt Blake had been working dilligently with Gil throughout his pre-game routine, every pitch that he threw was charted and the right-hander would listen to whatever feedback he received.
This culminated in his most impressive start in nearly two years, and it’s the exact kind of outing he needed to keep his job in the rotation for now.
We can’t know if his walk rates will improve or if his strikeout rates will get back to where they were in 2024, but there is more optimism around Gil now than there has been in quite some time.
The Yankees believed he had a strong offseason, so when he showed up to camp sitting 94-95 MPH without a fourth pitch, I was bewildered as to what they worked on with him.
I’m still skeptical that a wild pitcher with massive health concerns will hang onto their rotation spot for the entire season, but I believe the odds of that increased last night.
We could also see the Yankees transition him into an excellent bullpen weapon if the rotation doesn’t work out due to his power fastball returning once again.
Luis Gil has a lot to prove in 2026, but for the first time all Spring Training, I walked away without feeling underwhelmed by his performance.
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