Yankees’ rookie starter leaves game with injury

MLB: New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox, luis gil
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees faced off against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night with rookie star Luis Gil on the mound. Gil entered the game with an impressive 3.25 ERA over 121.2 innings, including 10.43 strikeouts per nine innings, a 77.5% left-on-base rate, and a 36.8% ground ball rate.

Yankees Pull Luis Gil

Gil has shown that he is capable of being a starting pitcher at the MLB level after overcoming injuries over the past few years. However, Tuesday’s game proved to be a tough outing for the young pitcher.

MLB: Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees, luis gil
Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, Gil was pulled from the game after just three innings. He gave up three hits, three earned runs, and walked six batters, throwing only 78 pitches. His performance elevated his ERA to 3.39 for the year. The Yankees later announced that Gil left the game with lower back tightness, which could sideline him for a few days at the very least.

Command Issues Resurface for Gil

The 26-year-old right-hander has struggled with command issues in the past, leading to escalating walk metrics. These issues have resurfaced in his recent starts, putting the Yankees in a difficult position as they manage their pitching staff.

Yankees’ Pitching Depth Tested

The Yankees are still waiting for Clarke Schmidt and Cody Poteet to return from injury, making Gil’s injury particularly poorly timed. To compensate for his absence, the Yankees will have to rely heavily on their bullpen—a unit that has already been stretched significantly over the past few months.

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