The New York Yankees got some bad news on Monday before their spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Starting righty pitcher, Luis Gil, is expected to miss at the very least six weeks due to a high-grade lat strain in his right shoulder.
Manager Aaron Boone disclosed to the media that Gil won’t be able to throw for at least six weeks, which means he’ll likely be out much longer as he tries to get his arm back and game ready.
“You know these things are going to unfortunately come and pop up,” Boone said, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. “They do at different times of the year. Hopefully, overall, you can stay fairly healthy, but unfortunately these things are inevitable, and that’s why … every team tries to build in some depth. We feel like we’re in a good spot with who we have. It’s part of it.”
Righty Marcus Stroman is now likely to enter the regular season as New York’s fifth starter, and the Yankees do have intriguing depth, but this is a loss for New York.
Gil is the reigning AL Rookie of the Year after a 2024 season that saw him post a 3.50 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 151.2 innings pitched with 171 strikeouts.
Per Gonzalez, he felt shoulder tightness during a bullpen session over the weekend and an MRI confirmed the strain. The Yankees are hoping to get Gil, 26, back sometime in the first half of the season, but that is all up in the air at the moment.