Feb 11, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) arrives at spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

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Luis Gil injury update: Yankees rotation takes major hit without 2024 standout pitcher

Luis Gil shut down for at least 6 weeks

Feb 11, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) arrives at spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Yankees’ starting rotation just took a serious blow. Luis Gil, coming off a breakout 2024 season, will be out for at least six weeks after being diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain in his right shoulder. The injury first popped up during a bullpen session last week, and after an MRI over the weekend, the Yankees confirmed the bad news.

Manager Aaron Boone didn’t offer a firm timeline for Gil’s return but made it clear that the 26-year-old won’t throw for at least six weeks. He’s likely sidelined for six weeks, followed by at least as much time to rebuild. Given that he’s missing spring, it’s reasonable to expect him out for at least three months. That means even in the best-case scenario, he’ll need time to build back up, making a return before midseason unlikely.

What does the Luis Gil injury mean for the Yankees rotation

With Gil sidelined, the Yankees’ rotation now officially includes Marcus Stroman, who went from an uncertain role in camp to a locked-in spot alongside Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt. The Yankees also have veteran Carlos Carrasco in camp as a non-roster invitee, while young arms like Will Warren and Brent Headrick could be in the mix for depth.

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Gil’s absence is a tough pill to swallow. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2024 after posting a 15-7 record with a 3.50 ERA over 151 2/3 innings. That was a huge workload jump for a pitcher who had never thrown more than 110 innings in a season, and while Boone wouldn’t say if that played a role in the injury, it’s hard to ignore.

A lat strain isn’t an easy injury to come back from., Last year, Schmidt dealt with a similar issue in late May and wasn’t back on a big-league mound until early September. He was shut down for four weeks before resuming throwing, Luis Gil, on the other hand, is already shut down for six weeks.

More on this: Schmidt said his shutdown was only 4 weeks. Gil is not throwing for at least 6. https://t.co/vdyHVRYMtx
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) March 3, 2025

It’s another frustrating setback for Gil, who spent nearly two years recovering from Tommy John surgery before breaking out last season.

Luis Gil

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

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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.