Feb 15, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) participates in spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

mlb

Luis Gil injury update: Yankees rotation in flux as Luis Gil heads for shoulder MRI

Luis Gil to have an MRI for shoulder discomfort

It seems like the biggest myth in baseball today is pitching depth. Every team claims to have it, until they don’t. All it takes is an injury or two before a rotation is in shambles, forcing rookies to step in, overworking the bullpen, and creating a never-ending cycle of instability.

The Yankees know this better than most. They lived through it in 2024 when Gerrit Cole went down, but Luis Gil stepped up and made sure his absence wasn’t immediately felt. Now, though, it might be Gil going down, and that’s going to hurt, especially for a team that was this close to shipping off Marcus Stroman. Maybe it’s a good thing that didn’t happen because it’s definitely not a good thing when your reliable arm, last year’s AL Rookie of the Year, is suddenly heading for an MRI. Sure, it could be precautionary, but my Yankees injury paranoia tells me to expect the worst.

Luis Gil’s injury

Luis Gil was forced to cut short a scheduled bullpen session on Friday due to discomfort near his pitching shoulder. Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that the right-hander will undergo an MRI on Saturday.

Luis Gil was shut down from a bullpen after experiencing discomfort in his pitching shoulder. He is getting an MRI.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) February 28, 2025

“He just felt tight and wasn’t able to really let it go,” Boone said, adding that the issue “feels like something that’s going to cost us some time.”

That’s not exactly encouraging. Gil, the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, was a stabilizing force last season, posting a 15-7 record with a 3.50 ERA across 29 starts. He also held opponents to an AL-best .189 batting average (minimum 150 innings). Losing him, even for a short stretch, could throw the Yankees’ rotation into a state of uncertainty.

Yankees’ Rotation Depth: A Mixed Bag

With Gil’s MRI looming, here’s what the Yankees’ rotation currently looks like:

Gerrit Cole
Max Fried
Carlos Rodón
Clarke Schmidt
Marcus Stroman

Depth Options:
6. Carlos Carrasco
7. Will Warren
8. Allan Winans

On paper, this doesn’t look disastrous. But this rotation isn’t exactly oozing reliability, and is one injury away from breaking down completely.

Fried is new, and while he’s supposed to be a steady presence, he’s still an unknown in pinstripes.
Rodón remains as unpredictable as ever. One day he looks like an ace, the next he’s imploding.
Schmidt is dealing with a cranky back.
Stroman… well, Stro – the Yankees have reportedly been open to trading him, which doesn’t scream confidence.

ALSO READ: Despite five-game World Series collapse, Nestor Cortes insists Yankees were ‘better team’

Stroman, 33, started the Yankees’ spring opener after finishing last season in the bullpen. He went 10-9 with a 4.31 ERA across 30 games (29 starts) in 2024, but he’s made it clear that he has no interest in being a reliever.

Who steps up?

If Gil misses time, the Yankees will have to rely on their depth options.

Will Warren has looked solid early in camp and might get a shot.
Carlos Carrasco is in camp as a non-roster invitee and could provide a veteran presence.
Allan Winans is another name in the mix, though not an ideal solution.

The Yankees were already treading carefully with their rotation. Now, with Gil’s health uncertain, they may have to rethink their plans. It’s possible they’ll need to lean on Stroman more than they initially intended or dip into their farm system earlier than expected.

Here's how the #Yankees' rotation will look if Luis Gil does miss time with his sudden shoulder injury:

1. Gerrit Cole
2. Max Fried
3. Carlos Rodón
4. Clarke Schmidt
5. Marcus Stroman

Other SP depth at camp: Warren, Carrasco, Winans, etc.

JT Brubaker would've been an option…
— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) February 28, 2025

Either way, this is the exact situation they were hoping to avoid with a larger third base, and left field problem looming.

Luis Gil

New York Yankees

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.