Yankees' Luis Gil struggles again in spring training

The right-hander is still trying to regain his dominant 2024 form as the team's rotation questions linger.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 1:42am

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Yankees pitcher Luis Gil had another rough outing in spring training, getting tagged for three home runs, nine hits and seven runs across three innings against the Tigers. The former AL Rookie of the Year is still trying to find the form that made him one of the more dominant pitchers in the first half of the 2024 season. With the Yankees' rotation still in flux, Gil's final spring start will be crucial as he looks to cement his spot.

Why it matters

Gil's struggles this spring raise questions about the stability of the Yankees' starting rotation, which is still trying to sort itself out with several pitchers coming back from injuries. The team has decisions to make about how to best manage the rotation in the first two weeks of the season, and Gil's performance will play a big role in those plans.

The details

In his penultimate start of the spring, Gil lacked command and overall crispness, giving up three home runs and seven runs in just three innings. While his fastball velocity has ticked up slightly, he has struggled to generate swings and misses with the pitch. The Yankees' pitching coach said they are looking into why Gil's fastball profile has changed from his dominant 2024 season. With the Yankees having several off-days early in the season, they are still trying to figure out how to best manage the rotation and Gil's spot in it.

  • On March 15, 2026, Gil had his penultimate spring training start, giving up three home runs and seven runs in three innings against the Tigers.
  • The Yankees have four off-days before their 10th game of the season, so they are still trying to determine how to best manage the rotation in the first two weeks.

The players

Luis Gil

A Yankees right-handed pitcher who was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2024 but has struggled to regain that form this spring.

Matt Blake

The Yankees' pitching coach, who is working with Gil to try to get him back to his 2024 level of performance.

Aaron Boone

The Yankees' manager, who said Gil is 'one of the five guys' in the rotation but acknowledged the team is still trying to figure out how to best manage the rotation early in the season.

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What they’re saying

“I feel like we're closer right now [to Gil's 2024 version] than we were last year, but ultimately these next steps are the big ones — really capturing the life on the fastball and then creating some space for the secondary.”

— Matt Blake, Yankees Pitching Coach

“At the end of the day, I got to concentrate on what I need to do. For me, [being consistent] is the focus and that's the key, to control what I can control and work on my craft and be as consistent as possible. … It takes time to get there, to be at 100 percent, and I think that's what's important.”

— Luis Gil

What’s next

Gil's final spring training start later this week will be crucial as he looks to prove he can regain his dominant 2024 form and cement his spot in the Yankees' rotation.

The takeaway

The Yankees' starting rotation remains a work in progress, with Gil's struggles this spring adding to the uncertainty. The team will need Gil to rediscover the electric stuff that made him a standout in 2024 if they hope to solidify their rotation in the early part of the season.