Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees' Electric Hurler Snags Pair of League Honors After Sparkling Month

A young, exciting Yankee pitcher has asserted himself as one of the best pitchers in MLB.
Joe Najarian|
May 18, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) reacts after the final out in the top of the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 18, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) reacts after the final out in the top of the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports | Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have an ace - and it's not Gerrit Cole.

Luis Gil, who is celebrating his 26th birthday on Monday, received not one, but two honors from Major League Baseball. He was named both the American League's Rookie of the Month and Pitcher of the Month for May after posting a 0.70 ERA in six starts. Atlanta Braves southpaw Chris Sale and Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz were named the National League's Pitcher and Rookie of the Month, respectively.

The Yankees now have three monthly award recipients this May, as outfielder and team captain Aaron Judge was named AL Player of the Month. This is the first time that a pair of teammates won both Pitcher of the Month and Player of the Month in the same month since Cole and Yuli Gurriel, both on the Houston Astros, were named AL Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, in July 2019.

Gil missed most of 2022 and 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but won the fifth spot in the starting rotation after impressing in spring training. After a respectable April, he put everything together in May.

The right-hander made six starts during the month and won all of them, allowing just three runs over a span of 38.2 innings. Boasting nasty strikeout pitches along with steadily improving command, Gil walked only 12 batters and punched out 44, for a 31.2% strikeout rate and a 0.67 WHIP. Opponents hit just .109 against him.

Gil went six innings in every start, including eight innings of one-run ball in his most recent start against the Los Angeles Angels. On May 18 against the Chicago White Sox, he needed just six frames to strike out 14 batters, while walking just one.

On the season, Gil has a 7-1 record with a 1.99 ERA and 2.98 FIP, 11.23 K/9, 79 strikeouts against 31 walks, and a 0.95 WHIP. His .134 opposing batting average and 4.1 H/9 are both the best in the major leagues by considerable margins.

Gil's dominance has coincided with a brilliant run by the starting rotation all around, which went 16 consecutive starts of 5+ innings while allowing two or fewer runs. That is the longest streak in the modern era of baseball (1901-present).

If Gil continues to pitch like he did over the past month, the AL Rookie of the Year award would be a foregone conclusion. But a start in the All-Star game this July and even consideration for the AL Cy Young Award could be in play for the exciting right-hander.

But these two monthly awards are quite the birthday presents for the Yankees' newfound ace.

Published
Joe Najarian
JOE NAJARIAN

Joe Najarian is the Deputy Editor and a writer for the New York Yankees and New York Mets On SI sites. He got his bachelor’s degree in journalism with a specialization in sports from Rutgers University, graduating in 2022. Joe has previously written for Jersey Sporting News and for the New York Giants On SI site. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @JoeNajarian

Share on XFollow joenajarian
Home/News