Gil's rocky finish detracts little from stellar rookie campaign

NEW YORK -- Luis Gil presents a compelling argument for consideration as the American League’s Rookie of the Year, having stepped into the rotation in the aftermath of a spring injury to Gerrit Cole, then approximating the ace’s output for the better part of two electric months.

Yet if Gil does come away with hardware to display, his final start of the regular season will not appear on any highlight reels. Gil permitted a career-high four homers as the Yankees fell to the Pirates, 9-4, on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

“The long ball today hurt me, and it happens,” Gil said through an interpreter. “You have good starts and you have bad starts. Sometimes you have a clear plan of attack and you’re attacking hitters exactly where you want, but they can also execute in those locations. So credit to them there.”

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Gil was outshined by a strong contender for National League Rookie of the Year, Paul Skenes, who sliced through the Bombers in a pair of spotless innings. Skenes wrapped his debut campaign by striking out three, freezing Juan Soto and Jazz Chisholm Jr. looking at heat while getting Aaron Judge to wave at a sweeper.

"It was cool. I like New York,” Skenes said. “The stadium's just -- it's one of the destinations in baseball, for sure. A place to cross off your bucket list. But, cool to be out there and pitch and keep checking it out tomorrow, because it's a cool place to go out there and look out back when you're in the outfield and that kind of thing."

Yasmani Grandal and Nick Gonzales hit solo homers off Gil in the second and fourth innings, respectively. Billy Cook added a two-run shot in the fifth, and Jared Triolo chased the right-hander with a two-run shot in the sixth.

Gil’s six runs allowed were the second most in his career. He permitted seven on June 20 vs. Baltimore.

“I think he just left a few pitches up in the zone,” catcher Austin Wells said. “It was a weird day, but I thought he threw the ball well except the few that left the park. So just a few pitches that he got hit on, and other than that, I thought he was really good.”

Gil concluded his season with a 15-7 record and a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts, spanning 151 2/3 innings. Gil notched 171 strikeouts against 104 hits and 77 walks, limiting opponents to a .189 batting average while permitting 18 homers.

“He blew past probably all of our expectations,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We weren’t really sure what to expect going into Spring Training, other than the fact that we knew a young pitcher in our organization with a lot of talent was healthy and back.

“Initially I thought he’d be in Triple-A and part of the rotation, but he just kicked the door in. He took advantage of an opportunity and has put together a really strong season. One of the reasons that we’re in this position right now is the season he gave us.”

Having missed nearly all of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Gil leads all qualified AL rookies in ERA, wins, starts, innings, opponents’ batting average, WHIP (1.19) and winning percentage (.682).

Gil is tied with the Astros’ Spencer Arrighetti for the AL lead in strikeouts among rookies.

“It means a lot to be back here, coming back from an injury like that where I missed a lot of time,” Gil said. “To be able to be here and come back strong, put together a good season, it means a lot. I’m extremely happy and satisfied.”

Said Wells: “He’s had a great year, being a rookie starting pitcher for the Yankees and putting up what he did. He’s been amazing, and to be able to be a part of that success with him has been a lot of fun. He’s going to continue to be a big piece for us.”

Wells and the Orioles’ Colton Cowser are considered the other leading candidates for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.

“Just understanding where I come from, I come from a small town [Azua, D.R.],” Gil said. “So it would really mean a lot to me, for my people back home and us as an organization. We’re closing the book on the regular season and now we’re going to shift our focus to the playoffs, but if I end up winning, it would be a blessing.”