SAN FRANCISCO — The Yankees finalized their 26-man Opening Day roster on Tuesday, and their most notable move was a surprising one. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year will not be in uniform when the team takes the field against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.
Instead, right-hander Luis Gil will head to the minor leagues to stay stretched out as a starter while the Yankees break camp with a loaded nine-man bullpen that includes three fresh faces: Cade Winquest, Brent Headrick and Jake Bird.
The decision underscores an unusual roster puzzle. With four scheduled off days in the first two-plus weeks of the regular season, the Yankees do not need a fifth starter until their 14th game on April 11. That math made Gil the odd man out of a four-man rotation featuring Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers.
Boone lays out the plan for Gil
Manager Aaron Boone broke the news before the Yankees’ final spring training exhibition against the Cubs in Mesa, Ariz. Gil will remain in Tampa to throw an 85-pitch live batting practice on Wednesday. He will throw again five days later and then report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for a start tentatively set for April 4.
That timeline would line Gil up to rejoin the Yankees rotation when the fifth spot is needed. Under roster rules, he must stay in the minors for at least 15 days but can return before making his first scheduled Triple-A start.
The Yankees considered carrying Gil on the Opening Day roster in a piggyback role behind Weathers but ultimately decided they wanted the Yankees right-hander built up on a full starter’s workload. With veterans Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough already offering length out of the bullpen, there was no urgency to use Gil in relief.
Boone acknowledged the conversation with Gil was not easy.
“I think he was a little upset about it, but I feel like he’s in a good frame of mind right now,” Boone said. “He understands the situation. It’s still not great news to hear [for] a guy that’s been in the rotation, he expected to be in the rotation and we expect him to be in the rotation. But at the same time, there’s also a lot of people pushing for competition right now that are pushing themselves into the conversation. That competition’s going to remain, so it’s important that Luis continues the trajectory he’s been on since the start of camp.”
Rookies Winquest, Headrick and Bird earn bullpen spots
Gil’s demotion opened the door for the Yankees to carry an extra reliever, and the Yankees used the spot to add three arms with limited big league experience.
Winquest, 25, was the Yankees’ first Rule 5 draft pick in 14 years. He posted a 7.20 ERA across nine spring appearances and has never pitched above Double-A. Still, the Yankees believed in the adjustments he made during the offseason with the pitching staff.
As a Cardinals farmhand last season, Winquest racked up 110 strikeouts in 106 innings across 25 games at High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield. Under Rule 5 guidelines, the Yankees must keep him on the active roster or offer him back to St. Louis.
“We feel like he’s gonna be a good pitcher,” Boone said. “I think he’s shown enough to keep himself in that mix for us and to warrant us taking him.”
Winquest beat out Osvaldo Bido for the final bullpen spot. Bido, who is out of minor league options, was designated for assignment and claimed by the Atlanta Braves despite posting a 1.50 ERA in six spring outings.
Left-hander Headrick provides a power fastball from the left side, something the Yankees bullpen was missing. Pitching coach Matt Blake said Headrick “came up and showed flashes” and “can get lefties and righties out.” His addition gives the Yankees three left-handed relievers alongside Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough.
Bird, a Stuff+ favorite, showed well this spring after spending the first half of last season with the Colorado Rockies. The Yankees pitching staff believes his metrics can translate into quality results at the major league level.
Yankees head to San Francisco with roster set
The Yankees will officially finalize the 26-man roster once pitchers Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, along with shortstop Anthony Volpe, are placed on the injured list. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt was placed on the 60-day IL on Feb. 12. All four are rehabbing from surgeries.
The club also completed a minor deal over the weekend, trading out-of-options infielder Jorbit Vivas to the Washington Nationals for minor league right-hander Sean Paul Linan, ranked as Washington’s 27th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Boone expressed satisfaction with how spring training played out for the Yankees, noting the team escaped camp without any new injuries.
“I feel like we’ve had an excellent camp,” Boone said. “Knock on wood, the injury front has been good. The guys that are on the come up that are going to join us at different points of the season are all doing well and in line. A lot of our young guys really showed. I like our depth. I’m looking forward to teeing it up on Wednesday.”
The Yankees open the 2026 regular season Wednesday night in San Francisco with Fried on the mound. Gil, meanwhile, will be throwing in Tampa, biding his time until the Yankees call him back to the Bronx.
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