TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees’ rotation depth will be tested early in the regular season, as reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil has been diagnosed with a high-grade right lat strain that will prevent him from throwing for at least six weeks, according to manager Aaron Boone.
Gil underwent an MRI exam on Saturday, one day after he cut short a scheduled bullpen session after about five pitches. Given the severity of Gil’s strain and the length of his shutdown, a best-case scenario would likely have the right-hander returning to a big league mound sometime in June.
“It’s definitely not the best feeling when they tell you something like that,” Gil said on Monday through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “You’re not waiting for news like that. It’s a tough moment right there to digest. You’ve got to start thinking of how to move forward, whatever the journey might be.”
Gil said he would lean upon teammate Clarke Schmidt for support, as the right-hander sustained a similar injury last season. Schmidt went on the injured list after a May 26 start at San Diego and was shut down from throwing for four weeks. He did not return to the big leagues until Sept. 7.
“It’s a big muscle, especially for throwing,” Schmidt said. “You can’t hide from it. If you have other injuries or other things going on, sometimes you can make compromises and figure out ways to keep throwing with it. But this, you feel it every time you’re throwing. Everything you do, you feel it.”
In the short term, Gil’s injury seemingly elevates Marcus Stroman into the season-opening rotation, where Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón are assured of spots.
Boone mentioned right-handers Carlos Carrasco, Will Warren and Allan Winans among the depth options behind that projected starting five. Carrasco and Winans are in camp as non-roster invitees.
“We still feel like we have good depth,” Boone said. “You know these things are unfortunately going to come and pop up at different times of the year.”
Gil posted a 15-7 record and a 3.50 ERA while registering 171 strikeouts across 151 2/3 innings and 29 starts last season, edging the Orioles’ Colton Cowser to become the first Yankees pitcher to bring home Rookie of the Year honors since Dave Righetti in 1981.
The lat strain diagnosis presents a new obstacle for the 26-year-old Gil, whose promising career has been interrupted previously by reconstructive right elbow surgery that cost him most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons.
“You end the season with that desire to keep on going out there and competing,” Gil said. “When you get news like this, it’s definitely not easy to swallow.”