Yankees right-hander Luis Gil faced live batters before Saturday’s 1:05 p.m. game against the Baltimore Orioles and “looked really good” in what was an “important” step for the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year’s road to a 2025 season debut, New York manager Aaron Boone said.
“I think he was 95, 96 (mph),” Boone said of Gil’s fastball velocity. “It looked every bit of that. Just the metrics on the four-seam was really good, too.
“And I thought he was in control of himself, too. So, free and easy. I thought he executed some really good changeups.”
Gil has been on the 60-day injured list since March 24 with a right lat strain.
“It’s important,” Boone said of Gil facing live batters. “Fortunately, after the setback, it’s been a slow buildup, but it’s gone well, it feels like, every step of the way. So, that’s been encouraging.
“And now, we start to build. Now we start to build lives, pitch counts and then eventually, now, getting into rehab games. So, definitely another important box to check.”
While Boone does not yet know the number of live batting practices that Gil will have as he ramps up his rehab, an end-of-July target is “reasonable.”
“I think, right now, it’s a little slower buildup than that,” Boone said of late July. “But yes, that’s reasonable. I mean, the biggest thing is when do you get him to 75, 80 pitches. And I know we’ll be methodical with that and careful with that.
“I don’t know the schedule yet. I haven’t looked that far ahead of how they have it built to when the date is. I would assume they have it built now, but it can be adjusted, too, along the way.”
Gil, 27, was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 151.2 IP over 29 regular-season starts for the Yankees’ 2024 campaign.
“It is still a ways off, but yes, obviously, what he could bring would definitely be a good shot in the arm and kind of maybe one of those trade-deadline adds,” Boone said.
“Obviously coming off of a really special season last year where he was so important for us, and I just think went through a lot of really good growth moments, too — like, for winning the Rookie of the Year and having an outstanding year, he had some struggles along the way, too, and kind of navigated those, I think grew from those things.
“And now going through an injury, too, where not necessarily a major injury or surgical injury but certainly an injury that cost him enough time — those things that can be learning things, too, for a young player.”
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