Yankees breakout rookie conveys worry with back injury

Kevin Hickey

Yankees breakout rookie conveys worry with back injury image

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil will spend at least the next two weeks on the shelf due to a lower back strain.

The rookie breakout was officially placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday. He was pulled from Tuesday night's game after just three innings due to discomfort.

While manager Aaron Boone didn't express concern that it was a long-term injury, Gil wasn't as confident Tuesday night.

"A little worried, because you come out of the game because you're feeling something that's not right," Gil said through an interpreter. "But at the same time, you've just got to take it day by day."

Gil was in the middle of a laborious outing against the Cleveland Guardians. He finished with 3.0 innings pitched, allowing three hits, three earned runs and six walks while striking out three on 78 pitches.

Entering Tuesday night, Gil was 12-6 with a 3.25 ERA across 121.2 innings pitched this season. Over his last four starts, Gil had a 3.72 ERA.

Gil was one of the hottest pitchers in the league to begin the season. Through his first 14 starts, Gil was 9-1 with a 2.03 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched. Over his last nine starts, Gil is 3-5 with a 5.62 ERA in 41.2 innings.

The starting rotation has been in a tough stretch for the better part of the last two months. The rotation's 5.59 ERA since June 15 is second-worst in Major League Baseball, while their .333 batting average on balls in play leads MLB.

Replacing Gil on the roster and in the rotation will be right-hander Will Warren, who is 0-1 with an 8.59 ERA in three starts across 14.2 innings with the Yankees this season.

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Kevin Hickey

Kevin Hickey Photo

Hickey was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Colts Wire. His work is also featured as a fantasy football analyst for The Huddle. A career .232 hitter, he is an avid reader of Spider-Man comics, an admirer of the James Webb Space Telescope, and a keen enthusiast of Ma’s sauce. You can find him on Twitter/X @KevinHickey11