MESA, Ariz. – The Yankees’ bullpen is set for the start of the season, and right-hander Luis Gil will not be part of it.
The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year had already been the odd starter out after the Yankees elected to open the season with a four-man rotation. Manager Aaron Boone said on Tuesday that Gil will begin the season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, as opposed to starting the year in the bullpen.
The 27-year-old Gil was 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 19 1/3 innings this spring, but he pitched just 57 innings last season. Boone said Gil will have live throwing sessions this week in Florida before pitching in Triple-A, with the ultimate goal of getting him settled into the rotation when New York needs a fifth starter.
“I think he was a little upset about it, but I feel like he's in a good frame of mind right now,” Boone said prior to the Yankees’ final Spring Training game against the Cubs at Sloan Park. “It's a guy in the physical prime of his career, and like the measurable numbers, like the physical evaluations that strength and conditioning does, he's in the best physical place he's ever been in his life.
“He's as strong as he's ever been, and we feel like that's going to translate, hopefully, based on what we saw in his last outing.”
The Yankees also announced that Cade Winquest, Brent Headrick and Jake Bird will round out the bullpen to start the 2026 season. Headrick, a lefty, posted a 2.57 ERA with 12 strikeouts in seven innings this spring, while the right-handed Bird struck out 16 in 10 innings this spring while recording a 1.20 WHIP.
Winquest’s inclusion is particularly notable considering he was the club’s first Rule 5 Draft selection since Brad Meyers in 2011. The 25-year-old right-hander was 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings with Double-A Springfield last season, and he’s the first Rule 5 selection to be included on the roster since DH Josh Phelps did so in ‘07.
“We saw enough there that we feel like there's upside,” Boone said. “We feel like now is the time to continue to give him that opportunity.”
The news was not unexpected for Gil, as Boone said they communicated regularly, and the decision was not a reflection of the pitcher’s spring. To the contrary, the club has been encouraged with the pitcher’s Spring Training progress.
The Yankees hope to see Gil build on that progress and work his way back into the starting rotation, whenever that need arises.
“We expect him to be in the rotation, but at the same time, there’s a lot of people pushing for competition right now that are pushing themselves into the conversation,” Boone said. “That competition is going to remain, so it’s important that [Gil] continues the trajectory he’s been on since the start of camp.”