MIAMI (AP) — Luis Gil waited several long months to return to the mound. His start Sunday hardly went the way he would have hoped.
The Yankees’ young right-hander lasted just 3 1/3 innings after allowing five hits and five runs to the Marlins that marked the first Miami sweep of New York in franchise history.
“Obviously, a struggle,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Just no real command today. ... He flashed some of his stuff. I thought he did some good things down in the zone at times, especially with some of their lefties. But too inconsistent with the strike throwing and (it) got to be a long day for him.”
Gil last year became the fourth pitcher in franchise history to be voted AL Rookie of the Year. But his 2025 campaign was placed on hold after being diagnosed in March with a high-grade lat strain in his pitching shoulder.
“From the moment I got hurt, I immediately just wanted to be out there,” Gil said Saturday, a day before he was set to make his season debut. “It’s been a long process. It’s a long process, but I think I’ve done a really good job at following the planning to get back on the field, to get healthy again.”
Gil’s four-seam fastball averaged 96.4 mph and peaked at 98.5 mph. He avoided giving up a home run but issued four walks and was lifted at 77 pitches in the fourth.
“The command didn’t help. I wasn’t commanding the way I wanted,” Gil said through an interpreter. “But looking back, you know, it was the first start in the big leagues since October last year. So I’m sure I’ll be able to make the adjustments.”
Gil stopped a bullpen session on Feb. 28 because of tightness in his pitching shoulder, and an MRI later revealed the lat strain. He was shut down from throwing for at least six weeks, and at the time the Yankees said he would not return until June at the earliest.
He went 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts for the AL East champions last year, striking out 171 and walking a major league-high 77 in 151 2/3 innings.
Gil’s shaky debut comes at a rough point in the season for the Yankees, whose inconsistency has prompted a rash of criticism, the latest coming from former Yankees stars Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez on Fox’s pregame show Saturday night.
“They make way too many mistakes,” Jeter said. “Way too many mistakes, and you can’t get away with making that number of mistakes against great teams.”
Added Rodriguez: “Where’s the accountability?”
Boone addressed those criticisms before Sunday’s game, saying it comes with the territory of being the Yankees, but he added after the loss that it’s “gut-check” time for his club.
New York’s weekend series at Miami included the Yankees blowing a six-run lead in a wild 13-12 loss on Friday, before a 2-0 loss on Saturday.
The Yankees had a seven-game lead in the AL East in late May. By July 2, the lead was gone and the Yankees have been looking up at ɫɫ in the division ever since. The red-hot Boston Red Sox, who were more than 10 games behind the Yankees about two months ago, have overtaken their rival for the second spot in the AL East and AL wild-card lead.
“It’s getting late,” Boone said. “And it’s certainly not too late for us. I am confident that we’re going to get it together. But that’s all it is right now is, you know, it’s empty until we start doing it.”
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