Luis Gil's first Triple-A bullpen appearance showed blueprint for his Yankees return

Is Luis Gil back? Not the 2024 Rookie of the Year winner Yankees fans fell in love with, nor the man who was nearly shipped to Houston for Kyle Tucker before Jim Crane realized he hates Brian Cashman and his team, but in some form, he seems poised to be.

Gil was briefly "returned" from his rehab assignment with High-A Hudson Valley on Tuesday, which set off alarm bells only ... for him to be activated with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre instead. He was not reinjured, but rather was ready to rock, finally trying on a bullpen role formally after months of flirtation.

The main problem with Bullpen Gil has always been his spotty control; he walked 33 men in 57 healthy innings last season, somehow surviving with a 3.32 ERA and 4.63 FIP. His fastball was diminished, and while observers wondered if it might play up out of the bullpen, that enthusiasm was tempered by his penchant for losing the plate.

Still ... 2026 Bullpen Gil now seems to determined to find out! In two shutout frames on Tuesday night, he hit 97.6 MPH with his heater, up significantly from the 94.9 MPH average fastball velocity he started the 2026 season with. He struck out two batters (and, of course, walked back-to-back hitters with two outs in his second inning before escaping trouble). In all, he threw 37 pitches ... 33 fastballs. His focus element could not be clearer.

Matt Blake's Luis Gil quote isn't a ringing endorsement, but ... he has a chance to return to Yankees

When asked about Gil's potential return to the 'pen on Tuesday, Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake didn't exactly bust down the door, saying, "I think so... That's definitely a guy that's on the roster and has had success with us." Yes. On a technicality, he is a guy on your roster. Glad we cleared that up.

Reading between the lines, if there's only one "compressed starter" spot available, it'll go to Clarke Schmidt, and Yerry de los Santos, say what you will, didn't seem like someone who needs replacing in two well-eaten innings in Baltimore in the series opener. But if Gil does make it back to the bigs, it'll be by riding his fastball almost exclusively, and the next few weeks will be an exciting opportunity to see if that really does unlock what's been missing for two summers now, or if the command continues to get in the way.

One other thing: There are worse pitchers to have on your roster for a potential postseason clash with the Red Sox, the one team Gil has seemingly never wavered against, even as he's struggled to find himself again. 3-1, 0.80 ERA in six career starts. One of them came this season; he allowed zero earned runs on two hits in 6 1/3 innings. In his other three starts this year, he allowed 13 runs on 13 hits in 13 innings. Food for thought.

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