Luis Gil to Start For Yankees Against White Sox on Thursday

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Pinstripes
By Max Goodman | Last updated 5/10/22

Luis Gil is headed back to the big leagues.

The right-hander will start for New York in their series opener in Chicago against the White Sox on Thursday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed to reporters on Tuesday afternoon.

After a doubleheader on Sunday—a result of back-to-back rainouts in the Bronx—New York needed a sixth starter to reset their rotation.

According to Boone, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will follow Gil, pitching on Friday night. After left-hander Jordan Montgomery takes the ball on Saturday evening, southpaw Nestor Cortes will toe the rubber and close out the four-game set in Chicago on Sunday afternoon.

Luis Severino and Jameson Taillon are scheduled to pitch for the Yankees against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Gil will look to recapture the dominance he flashed last summer at the big-league level. The right-hander began his career with 18.2 scoreless innings pitched, the longest streak to begin a career in Yankees franchise history.

By the end of the 2021 season, Gil—New York's No. 10 prospects, per MLB.com—had posted a 3.07 ERA over six appearances, a promising first taste of what he's capable of at this level.

It's worth noting that Gil has struggled to start the year in Triple-A. The right-hander has pitched to the tune of a 9.53 ERA over five starts, allowing 18 earned runs in 17 innings pitched.

That said, the 23-year-old is coming off his best start of the season thus far. Last week, against the Rochester Red Wings, Gil struck out nine batters in five frames, permitting just two earned runs to score.

If you're curious why Gil got the call over someone like Clarke Schmidt, who shined in his limited action with the big-league club in the month of April, option rules played a role.

Schmidt was sent down to Triple-A on May 1 after spending the first month with the Yankees. In order to be recalled, unless he's replacing an injured player, Schmidt must remain in the Minors for at least 15 days.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Pinstripes and was syndicated with permission.

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