“Yankees’ Luis Gil Shines Despite First-Inning Struggles, Poised for Postseason Impact”
Luis Gil has enjoyed an impressive first full season in the New York Yankees’ starting rotation. However, despite helping the team secure a 7-4 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, his manager, Aaron Boone, remains concerned about one recurring issue: Gil’s struggles in the first inning.
When asked about Gil’s recent first-inning difficulties, Boone acknowledged his concern, saying, “Yeah, a little bit. You want him to find his rhythm early. That first inning in his last few starts, like you mentioned, has been a bit of a problem.”
During Sunday’s game, after retiring the first two A’s hitters, Gil walked JJ Bleday and Shea Langeliers, setting up a two-run double by Tyler Soderstrom. He recovered and pitched effectively for the rest of his outing, but left two inherited runners for reliever Ian Hamilton in the sixth inning, who then allowed both to score on a Ryan Noda double.
In his previous start against the Seattle Mariners, Gil barely escaped the first inning without damage. After hitting the first batter, he recorded an out, then walked two more Mariners to load the bases. A fortunate pop-out followed, and the inning ended when Mariners’ DH Victor Robles made an ill-advised attempt to steal home, getting thrown out.
Gil’s command issues in the first inning have been a season-long challenge. Entering Sunday’s game, batters had a .336 on-base percentage against him in the opening frame. Over his 28 starts, he has issued 25 walks and hit two batters in the first inning alone.
Despite these early struggles, Gil has limited first-inning damage overall. His inning-by-inning ERA reveals the first inning to be one of his best, with hitters managing just a .158 average against him and a solid 2.25 ERA in that frame.
With a strong 15-6 record, a 3.27 ERA, and 166 strikeouts in 146 innings, Gil is expected to be a key part of the Yankees’ postseason rotation. However, if he cannot improve his control early in games, he may face tougher challenges against the league’s top lineups.