TAMPA — Luis Gil was optioned out of camp back on March 3, a transaction that made sense for a prospect building up slowly after Tommy John surgery.
But a lot has changed in the past two weeks, including a Gerrit Cole injury that has opened up a rotation spot and Gil flashing some of the most dominant stuff in Yankees camp.
The 25-year-old righty was a standout for a second straight outing, cruising through a representative Blue Jays lineup Saturday just like he had a representative Phillies lineup Tuesday — a start that manager Aaron Boone called “probably the outing of the spring by anyone.”
Through four games and two starts in the Grapefruit League, Gil has allowed three runs in 11 ²/₃ innings (2.31 ERA) with 18 strikeouts and four walks.
Opposing hitters are batting .125 against Gil, who is “right in the conversation” for fifth starter, Boone said.
“Really good to see him having confidence to be able to throw his secondary stuff for strikes, which allows his heater, which is elite, to play up,” Boone said after Gil let up a hit and a walk while striking out four in 3 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in a 10-9 win over the Blue Jays at Steinbrenner Field.
Gil might have lacked the ridiculous stuff he featured against the Phillies, when he struck out eight in 3 ²/₃ innings, but his fastball touched 99.1 mph, and his slider and new changeup consistently kept legitimate Toronto hitters off-balance.
In the first inning, Bo Bichette swung through a pair of changeups — a pitch that Gil did not have much of a feel for before surgery — for the strikeout.
Kevin Kiermaier missed the changeup, too, for his final strike. Cavan Biggio chased a slider for his strikeout.
Gil’s final pitch of the third inning was a 98.9 mph heater that blew away Bichette for a second time. Gil’s motion finished with his back to the plate, and he took a moment facing the center-field wall to celebrate the strikeout.
The Yankees will be careful building up a pitcher who debuted with promise in 2021 and made one start the following season before needing Tommy John surgery.
Gil made it back to the mound with a couple of September appearances with Low-A Tampa last year.
Gil built up to 56 pitches Saturday, and “we’ll see” if he will stretch out enough to be ready for a full workload when the season begins, Boone said.
His competition includes starters with major league experience (Cody Poteet and Luke Weaver) as well as a few prospects (Will Warren, who is not on the 40-man roster, and Clayton Beeter).
“I feel like we have a number of different choices to consider, and that’s a good thing,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “A number of people have thrown well, whether it’s what Gil just recently showed us — and we already know what he had done prior to the Tommy John surgery and we know what he’s capable of. What Warren continues to do, Beeter has had a good camp and shown his wares here in his first major league camp. Poteet has done well. Luke Weaver has been there and done that.
“I think we’ll just have a lot of conversations wrapped around at least all those guys.”
Gil said his mindset has not changed through camp, even if his status among Yankees starting pitchers has taken a leap.
“I don’t make those decisions,” Gil said through interpreter Marlon Abreu of the competition. “If I’m given the opportunity [to be the fifth starter], I’ll be there for it.”