Luis Gil Left Off Yankees’ Opening-Day Rotation, May Start Minors

This article digs into the Yankees’ Opening Day pitching plan and the situation with Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year. Should he start in the minors or shift to the bullpen to protect his arm with a tough early schedule looming?

We’ll look at the four-man rotation the Yankees have lined up, how Gil performed this spring, and the choices that might shape New York’s pitching depth as the season unfolds.

Opening Day rotation plan

The Yankees aren’t giving Luis Gil the Opening Day start. Instead, they’re rolling with a four-man rotation: Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers.

• Max Fried
• Cam Schlittler
• Will Warren
• Ryan Weathers

Gil’s status hangs in the balance as the club tries to juggle his development with the team’s immediate needs. New York seems to be leaning toward sending him to the minors for now, hoping to save his innings for later in the season instead of burning him out early.

Luis Gil: spring performance versus expectations

Gil, 27, had a rough Grapefruit League run. He gave up 10 earned runs and 20 hits in 19 1/3 innings, with six home runs allowed.

Still, he struck out 24 batters and finished spring strong—he tossed five scoreless innings against the Orioles, which Manager Aaron Boone called “2024 Luis Gil right there.”

Last season, Gil put up a 3.50 ERA and a 15-7 record, with 171 strikeouts in 151 2/3 innings. When he’s healthy, he looks like a frontline option.

But injuries slowed him in 2025. Right shoulder tightness and a lat strain cost him four months, and in his 11 starts that year, he posted a 3.32 ERA but just 6.5 K/9.

The Yankees want to be careful with his workload. They’re thinking about whether a bullpen role or a minor-league assignment could help keep him effective all year.

Workload considerations and the schedule

New York’s early schedule is pretty brutal. The team gets only three off days in the first two weeks and faces 13 straight games from April 7-19.

That kind of stretch could force quick decisions about the rotation and bullpen. The Gil question sits right at the intersection of developing him and filling immediate needs.

Should they bring him back as a starter soon, or keep him in a role that saves his innings for later? It’s not an easy call.

Where Gil fits going forward

If the Yankees send Gil to the minors, they’d want to keep him on a true rotation schedule. That way, he can build up stamina without the grind of a big-league workload too soon.

A bullpen role could mean multi-inning outings and high-leverage spots, keeping him sharp for a possible mid-season return to starting. Either way, the team needs a clear plan for managing his innings if they want him to have a real impact down the stretch.

Notable spring form: Ryan Weathers and the rest

Ryan Weathers had a rough spring. He gave up 16 runs and 23 hits in just 12 1/3 innings.

Boone still pointed out that Weathers kept his feel, velocity, and movement. That gives the club another possible option if things get dicey early on.

With Gil’s situation up in the air, the Yankees’ pitching depth really stands out. They’re staring down a brutal schedule, trying to protect both health and future potential.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Yankees’ Luis Gil not in Opening Day starting rotation, could begin season in minors