Thrust into the New York Yankees’ starting rotation on Opening Day due to an injury to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil found himself unexpectedly thrust onto the biggest stage. Although not initially envisioned in this role, he had impressed throughout Spring Training, earning himself a spot on the Opening Day roster.
This unexpected opportunity proved to be a golden one for the young pitcher. Making his first regular-season appearance since 2022, Luis Gil seamlessly picked up where he left off on the mound. Facing the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night, he delivered a dominant outing.
Backed by a strong showing from the Yankees‘ offense that provided early runs, Luis Gil capitalized on the opportunity that knocked on his door after 690 days. He stifled the Diamondbacks’ bats, allowing just one run on a single hit over 4.2 innings pitched. While issuing three walks required some extra work, Luis Gil displayed his control and power by striking out six batters, solidifying his position as a valuable contributor to the starting rotation.
Boone is in awe of Luis Gil’s start while the pitcher wants more
In the post-game analysis, manager Aaron Boone showered praise on Luis Gil’s impressive performance on the mound. Boone commended the pitcher’s effectiveness, particularly his reliance on a dominant fastball. While a few walks necessitated additional work, Boone expressed confidence in Luis Gil’s entire pitching repertoire, specifically highlighting the effectiveness of his fastball, which reached blistering speeds of up to 100 mph.
“He did a heck of a job,” the skipper lauded the pitcher. “He used his fastball more, but there was a presence with his secondary stuff. He walked a few batters but overall I thought his stuff was really good, you could see the fastball playing.
Boone wasn’t shy in acknowledging Luis Gil’s consistent effort throughout Spring Training, which ultimately earned him a roster spot and the Opening Day start. He emphasized the pitcher’s crucial role in setting the early tone for the game, especially considering the unexpected circumstances surrounding Gerrit Cole’s injury.
Though Boone expressed some regret that Luis Gil was pulled just one out shy of securing his second career win, the young pitcher, speaking through a translator in the postgame interview, displayed maturity and understanding. While reiterating his eagerness to stay on the mound, Luis Gil acknowledged the importance of adhering to pitch count limitations established for his health and development.
“I want to be out there pitching, let’s be clear about that,” he said. “But at the same time, I understand that there’s a set amount of pitches that I’m under, so there’s nothing to feel bad about coming out at that time. Next time out there I’ll probably have more pitches.”
Boone further elaborated on Luis Gil’s pitching, praising not just his electric fastball but also the effectiveness of his well-rounded secondary pitches. His successful return from injury showcases his potential as a valuable asset in the starting rotation.
Luis Gil himself echoed this sentiment, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the team’s victory. He emphasized his unwavering commitment and willingness to fulfill any role necessary for the Yankees’ success.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity,” Luis Gil stated through the translator. “I approached spring training ready to fulfill my responsibilities. After everything I’ve gone through, being back on the mound and competing means a lot to me. I’m thankful for the chance to support this team.”
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Gil was at 84 pitches, with an 85-pitch limit, after striking out 6 & only allowing one hit. He was dominant!
Boone could have allowed him to throw At Least One More Pitch: maybe the batter would have popped out or grounded out, and the kid could have gotten a well-deserved Win, instead of a no decision.
I understand they want to protect Gil’s health, but a “W” would have meant a great deal to the kid. Now, I worry that in his next start, he might try Too Hard to be Precise with every pitch because he’ll want to stay in the game long enough for the Win, rather than do what he does best & be aggressive with every pitch, which is what made him So Intimidating in that game.
Heck, you could see that some of the D’back hitters were outright Afraid to step in the box against him out of abject fear of facing that Explosive 100 mph FB. I don’t want to see that aggressiveness curtailed in favor of being ultra-concerned about being precise with every pitcher.
I’m NOT saying that I want Gil to be oblivious to the strike zone, but being Highly Aggressive seems to suit his personality; and you don’t want to turn a Lionhearted pitcher into a whimpering pussy cat. For example, Stroman feeds off his ultra-aggressiveness, which is a joy to watch, and you can see it’s infectious & makes his teammates more intense. The Yankees have been COMPLETELY LACKING in That kind of Attitude for decades now (another Cashman accomplishment)! Thank god it’s back in the person of people like Soto, Stroman, Verdugo, Schmidt, and, apparently, Gil.
The Yankees of Jeter & Mo, Munson & Reggie, Mantle & Ford, Joe D. & Co., and Ruth & Gehrig had a swagger that won some games before they even took the field. It was “Game Over, Get the F-Out of Our Way” before the first pitch on Many Days, because the other team Just Knew they were Outclassed & Outmanned.
It does my heart good to see the return of that sort of HEALTHY Arrogance on the Yankees “The We’re F-ing Better than You, and You Know It” attitude, “now watch us kick your butts!” There are young Yankee fans alive today who’ve unfortunately Never Seen or Experienced That Attitude, the attitude that made The Yankees THE BRONX BOMBERS. (And again, Brainless Brian Cashman is largely to blame for its absence on the Yankees because he was fixated on OBP & exit velo, instead of team chemistry, which is why he was Stupid enough to trade Montgomery for BADer.)
Finally, I’m sick of fools saying a pitcher’s Wins Don’t Matter. What a moronic statement! Of course they do! Guys like Jack Morris on the Tigers & Jays & Whitey Ford on the Yankees just knew how to win Big Games, even when they didn’t have their best stuff.
The “Pitcher Wins Don’t Matter” attitude, propagated by fools, like Brainless Brian Kenny, defies logic, as in:
* The team with the most wins, Wins its division.
* The team with the most wins, Wins its playoff round, and
* The team with the most wins, Wins the World Series.
Hmm. Seems to be a pattern there. So, only Morons, like Brainless Brain Kenny, would insist that Pitcher Wins don’t matter. Yes, They Do! And pitchers like Verlander, Gibson, Ford, Koufax, and so many others were Great precisely because they could be Consistently Counted on to WIN big games, even when they didn’t have their best stuff. That’s what made them baseball immortals: Clutch Wins!
I maintained in the above comment that Cashman has NEVER understood the importance of team chemistry, which is why he stupidly traded Montgomery, who his teammates loved, for BADer.
Well, this past offseason Cashman offered Proof that he has No Concept of the importance of teamwork & chemistry. Here’s the proof.
When asked about his assessment of the 2023 Yankees, who barely missed finishing last in the division, Hal Steinbrenner, to his credit, said they were an EMBARRASSMENT, which is putting it succinctly, but accurately.
Asked the same question, Hal’s Disloyal EMPLOYEE testily responded that he thought the 2023 Yankees were “pretty f**king good!”
So, the OWNER says, in effect, we sucked, and His Underlying Arrogant says, in effect, No, don’t listen to Hal; he doesn’t know cow chips about baseball! Only I, the Great & Mighty Oz(ball), know ALL. We were “pretty f**king good” in 2023, Hal!
How in the world did Hal NOT fire him for that Self-Righteous & Arrogant display of Insubordination?!
Btw, the moves the Yankees and nitwit Cashman made this offseason PROVE that Brainless Brian was LYING when he said the 2023 Yankees were “pretty f**king good!”
If they were “pretty f**king good!” Brainless Brian, why did you replace 3/4th of the outfield (Soto, Verdugo, and Grisham to rest Judge in CF); and why did you add Jon Berti, Marcus Stroman, Caleb Ferguson, Victor González, Jahmai Jones, and a host of other prospects & marginal players to the 40-man roster?
Hmm. That sounds strangely like a man who thought that the 2023 Yankees roster — which Monsieur Brainless constructed — kinda, sorta sucked!
Otherwise, Cashman would have run back the same “pretty f**king good!” crew of loathsome characters, like the beloved Josh Donaldson, IKF, Albert Abreu, Matt Bowman, Deivi García, Domingo Germán, Matt Krook, Frankie Montas, Luis Severino, Ben Rortvedt(ing), Harrison Bader, Jake Bauers, Willie Calhoun, Franchy Cordero, Aaron Hicks, Billy McKinney, and — Are You Beginning to See What a BLATANT LIE Brainless’s ASSertion was that the ’23 Yankees were “pretty f**king good!”
Fire him, Hal. Besides being an Arrogant, Lying, Incompetent GM, he was Grossly Insubordinate when he Completely Contradicted YOUR Assessment of the 2023 team, showing Zero Loyalty to YOU, in addition to LYING to the Press, LYING to Yankee Fans, CURSING at the Press and, by extension, angry Yankee fans, and generally just being a Self-Righteous Jackass.