Yankees skipping Luis Gil’s start vs White Sox is embarrassing move

The New York Yankees are in the midst of likely the strangest series of the season against the Chicago White Sox, split between Chicago’s home stadium and a field hastily carved out of the corn in Iowa.

Don’t worry, though, there’s an off day Friday. Very normal weekend.

When the set resumes, after Thursday’s showdown between Lance Lynn and trade deadline acquisition Andrew Heaney, we’ll be treated to a pair of games in Chi-Town where the Yanks will be up against it, battling for every inch in a hostile situation.

Will the Yankees be sending their very best to the mound? Uh…no, doesn’t seem like it. We have questions.

After Andrew Heaney lobbed beachballs to the Sox on Thursday night, the Yankees did not readjust anything, instead sticking with the rotation they laid out.

Jameson Taillon on Saturday (good!) and Nestor Cortes Jr. on Sunday (alright!). Where’s Luis Gil, though?

Why are the Yankees skipping Luis Gil against the White Sox?

We’re trying to win these games against a top-quality opponent and not lose them, right? Just clarifying. Because, if you’re trying to win them, we’d recommend throwing the guy with the 0.00 ERA and instead skipping the guile-based lefty coming off his worst start of the season.

Cortes Jr. has been a borderline savior this season, but every out he records still feels like a bonus based on the expectations attached to his left arm entering the season.

He’s been excellent, sure, but his most recent outing featured two Salvador Perez home runs in a rare loss in Kansas City. If anyone needs more rest, as long as the innings go to a sterling rookie, it’s Cortes.

It’s not like the Yankees kept the rotation intact here, despite protests. They legitimately moved Cortes Jr. ahead of Gil in the pecking order. We’re not succumbing to peer pressure and claiming Gil is the second coming of Luis Severino here (just yet) but, again, he hasn’t allowed an earned run in two starts and sports an 0.82 WHIP. Now’s the time to learn exactly what kind of pitcher he is, and if his start lands against the White Sox, so it goes. Perfect opportunity.

Apparently, the Yankees don’t feel that way, as they’ve shuffled him out of the slot, preferring to hold Gil back for Monday’s makeup game against the Angels. Hope things work out. We’ll never understand it.

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