The Yankees will send Luis Gil to the mound to start Saturday’s ALDS Game 1 against the Blue Jays.
“Just feel like he’s ready for this. He’s in line for it,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Friday. “For now, want to keep [Will] Warren an option in the pen and Luis is ready to go.”
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“It means a lot, especially an important game for us in the series,” Gil said via an interpreter about starting. “But I think we’ve just got to keep doing what we’ve been doing, stay locked in, and go out and compete and ask God to help us out.”
SNY’s Andy Martino reported after the Yankees’ Wild Card series-clinching win over the Red Sox on Thursday night that Aaron Boone and the organization were torn between Gil and Warren for Saturday’s game, with the “slight lean” going toward Gil.
Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, had a delayed start to his sophomore year after suffering a right lat strain in the offseason. He made his 2025 debut in early August and made 11 starts, pitching to a 3.32 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP.
“I feel really good. I finally feel that I’m 100 percent,” Gil said of his health. “Like I mentioned a moment ago, right now you just have to go and battle. But as far as maturing and where I’m at today throughout my career, I think experience plays a big part of that. Growing and maturing as a pitcher, I think has allowed me.”
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The 27-year-old does have postseason experience, making two starts in last year’s playoffs, but did not have much success. He allowed two runs in four innings against the Guardians and then four runs in four innings against the Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series, an 11-4 win for the Yankees.
Gil has faced the Blue Jays once this season, allowing one run in six innings at home against Toronto on Sept. 6.
Boone confirmed that Max Fried will start Game 2 on Sunday but did not name his Game 3 starter, which is set for Tuesday at home.
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