NEW YORK – Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil was placed on the 15-day injured list with a lower back strain, a day after he left the field in the fourth inning of a start against the Cleveland Guardians.
Manager Aaron Boone said he expects the rookie to return soon.
“It’s not bad, it’s just lower back pain,” Boone said before the Yankees resumed a three-game series against Cleveland. “I think he’s feeling better today and I hope he can stay pretty active during this time and hopefully get back on the field.”
“Hopefully it will help him in the big picture to rest him a little bit and save him some for the final stages. So don’t expect it to take long.”
The Yankees pulled Gil from the game after he called for an athletic trainer following an 89-mph changeup to Jose Ramírez. Before his final pitch, Gil allowed a home run to Brayan Rocchio and walked Steven Kwan after four pitches.
After New York’s 9-5 loss in 12 innings, Gil said he felt discomfort in the third inning when he allowed two walks and loaded the bases.
“I’ve never felt anything like this before,” Gil said through an interpreter. “You’re a little bit worried because you’re getting out of the game because you feel like something is wrong.”
To replace Gil on the roster, the Yankees brought back Will Warren from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. Warren has an 0-1 record and an 8.59 ERA in three starts. The right-hander allowed two hits in five innings against the White Sox in Chicago on August 14.
Gil, pitching after a seven-day rest, allowed three runs and three hits in three innings. He struggled to control the game for most of the evening, allowing six walks and throwing only six of 19 batters strikes on the first pitch.
Gil is 12-6 with a 3.39 ERA in 25 starts but has allowed 66 walks – the most among qualified pitchers. He has thrown 124 2/3 innings after missing most of the last two seasons due to Tommy John surgery.
Gil won nine straight from April 21 to June 14, but has a 3-5 record with a 5.84 ERA in his last nine starts.
Gil made his debut in August 2021 and was 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in six games. He made one start for the Yankees in 2022 before getting injured.
