New York Yankees star pitcher Luis Gil is the odds-on favorite to win the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year award.
FanDuel Sportsbook has given Gil -120 odds to take home the top honor among all first-year players in the league as it stands.
Yankees: Luis Gil outpaces AL rookie pitchers in multiple statistical categories in 2024
Gil has had a sweltering first half of the season. Through 16 starts, the 6-2 righty owns a 9-3 record with a great 3.15 ERA and 1.121 WHIP. Gil also leads the Major Leagues with a 5.4 H9.
Among all rookie pitchers, the Dominican ace in the making leads the pack in wins, as well as strikeouts (99), and has given up a respectable seven home runs on the campaign. In the midst of a star-studded cast of pitchers that the Yankees have deployed this year, Gil has made a name for himself and is on his way to taking home ROY honors if things continue for him as is.
- Yankees dodge Gerrit Cole bullet with contract extension talks sidelined
- Yankees could be blindsided by unexpected contender in the Juan Soto sweepstakes
- Yankees decline to give $21 million qualifying offer to key infielder
Gil could make Yankees history with ROY win as an eligible rookie
Gil would be the first Yankees player since Aaron Judge in 2017 to take home the award. He would also be only the fifth Yankee since 1970 including Derek Jeter (1996), Dave Righetti (1981), and Thurman Munson (1970) to win.
Gil is eligible for the award even though he pitched 29.1 innings across six starts in 2021 and four innings in his lone start in 2022. The MLB explicitly lists its rookie eligibility criteria to be a player who has not exceeded any of the following thresholds in a previous season:
“130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues. 45 total days on an active Major League roster during the Championship Season (excluding time on the Injured List).”
Seeing that Gil’s inning count did not exceed 50 innings in either 2021 or 2022, he is legally in the hunt. Win or lose, the Bronx Bombers have been thrilled with the output that their talented young arm has given them in their World Series hopeful season.
