NEW YORK — Luis Gil gave the New York Yankees exactly what they needed Saturday afternoon. The right-hander worked six steady innings while the bullpen showed the kind of form the front office expected when it reshaped the group at the deadline.
The Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 at Yankee Stadium. The win trimmed New York’s AL East deficit to three games and highlighted Gil’s progress along with the bullpen’s potential.
Luis Gil (3-1) earned the victory, giving up one run on three hits over six innings. He walked four and struck out just one, but he forced 13 flyouts to hold down one of the league’s most dangerous lineups.
“I’m getting back to where I want to be,” Gil said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “The good thing is I’m continuing to win, even if things aren’t exactly how I’d want.”
Yankees starter finds rhythm despite early struggles
Gil’s outing had a rough patch. He issued two walks to start the fourth inning, leading to a mound visit from pitching coach Matt Blake. The Blue Jays scored once on an Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounder that the Yankees could not turn into a double play.
The 26-year-old bounced back, continuing his strong run since his season debut. On August 3, Gil gave up five runs in 3.1 innings against Miami. Since then, he has allowed no more than two runs in six straight starts, each lasting at least five innings.
His ERA now stands at 3.31 with a 1.53 WHIP across 35.1 innings in 2025. Saturday was his first quality start of the year and his longest outing so far.
“To hold that lineup to one run is not an easy task,” Cody Bellinger said. “They did a great job today. We manufactured a few runs. It was just a really good win overall.”
Bullpen delivers when it matters most
The relief corps has been shaky all season, but Saturday looked different. This was the kind of shutdown performance general manager Brian Cashman envisioned when he added arms at the deadline.
Luke Weaver, Fernando Cruz and David Bednar covered the final three innings without allowing a run. Bednar, picked up from Pittsburgh, collected his 21st save by retiring all four batters he faced.
“I don’t think there’s a bullpen better than us,” Cruz said. “If you put the names together, it’s impossible. We just need to come together and identify who needs to pitch when and it’s over. It’s gonna be a short game.”
Weaver escaped the seventh after giving up a leadoff double. Cruz handled an eighth-inning jam with a walk and an infield single. Bednar closed it out in the ninth, striking out two in order.
“After the deadline, we’re settling in more now,” Bednar said. “The group we have down there is really special. They’re really talented guys.”
Bellinger’s rocket arm gives Gil protection
The biggest play came in the sixth inning. With Bo Bichette on second base and two outs, Nathan Lukes lined a single to right as rain began to fall.
Cody Bellinger charged hard and fired a 95.3 mph throw to catcher Austin Wells. The one-hop strike beat Bichette to the plate, where Wells applied the tag to keep New York in front.
“I got a good jump on it,” Bellinger said. “With two outs, I assumed they would be aggressive. I just wanted to make a good throw to Wells there. He did a good job of getting the ball and putting the tag on.”
Gil said he trusted his right fielder. “I felt he was going to have a good shot at it,” Gil said. “He’s great out there.”
Rain delay shifts momentum
The play was followed by a 106-minute delay as heavy rain hit the Bronx. Both clubs had to reset, but the Yankees came out sharper.
“This time of year, you’re playing for a lot,” manager Aaron Boone said. “You’re playing a division rival that you’re looking up at in the standings. That downtime can add to the anxiety and the waiting around.”
When action resumed, the Yankees extended their lead. Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off with a single but was caught stealing. Dominguez drew a walk, and Anthony Volpe doubled him to third. Wells then lifted his second sacrifice fly of the game, pushing the score to 3-1.
Yankees offense manufactures runs
The Yankees opened the scoring in the second inning against Chris Bassitt. Bellinger drew a walk and advanced to third on a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. error. Dominguez singled him home, and Wells added a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.
New York collected just five hits, but they made them count. Dominguez was in the lineup thanks to his success against Bassitt, having entered 6-for-9 with three extra-base hits against him.
Wells’ two sacrifice flies gave him 11 this season, the most in the majors. His situational hitting made the difference in a tight game.
Division race heats up
The victory improved New York’s record to 79-63, keeping their AL East hopes alive. Toronto dropped to 82-60, holding a three-game edge with just over two weeks to play.
Saturday’s win was only the Yankees’ fifth in 13 meetings with the Blue Jays this year. Toronto had taken seven of the last eight matchups and entered on a four-game winning streak.
“I feel at this point, every win is pretty big,” Bellinger said.
The series concludes Sunday, with Max Fried starting for New York and Max Scherzer set to pitch for Toronto. Both teams view the rubber match as crucial for postseason seeding.
“Tomorrow’s a huge one,” Boone said. “We know what’s at stake. We know how important these games are, but you also can’t make them bigger than what they are. It’s a game we gotta go play well, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
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