yardbarker
After an early playoff exit, the New York Yankees are confronting a host of offseason decisions, and one of the most urgent involves former American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil.
As the November 20 contract tender deadline looms, the team is expected to push hard to trade the right-hander rather than simply retain him at his projected arbitration salary.
“I think the Yankees will try like heck to trade Gil before the Nov. 20 contract tender deadline,” New York Post insider Joel Sherman wrote, emphasizing the time-sensitive nature of the situation.
MLB Trade Rumors estimates Gil’s arbitration figure for next season at approximately $2.3 million. While that sum is modest by major-league standards, it becomes harder to justify if the organization does not envision a clear role for him in the starting rotation.
Gil’s 2024 season remains the pinnacle of his career. He posted a 15-7 record with a strong ERA, earned Rookie of the Year honors, and appeared to be a cornerstone of the Yankees’ pitching staff.
However, subsequent seasons have been far less promising. Injuries, including shoulder inflammation that sidelined him for a significant stretch, limited his effectiveness, and he shuttled between the major-league roster and the minors in 2026.
In his limited big-league innings this year, Gil recorded a 4.61 ERA with nearly as many walks as strikeouts—a stark contrast to the electric fastball and swing-and-miss stuff that defined his breakout campaign.
He has also exhausted his minor-league options, meaning any demotion next season would require him to clear waivers.
The Yankees’ rotation depth further complicates the picture. Established arms such as Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, Gerrit Cole, and Carlos Rodón form a solid top four, while Will Warren and Ryan Weathers will compete for the No. 5 slot.
With no obvious opening for Gil as a starter, the front office must decide whether investing roughly $2 million is worthwhile simply to keep him in the bullpen as a multi-inning or depth option.
If that calculus does not favor retention, a non-tender becomes a realistic alternative, which would make him a free agent.
For a player still under team control through 2029, the potential return in a trade may not be enormous given his recent results. Yet the Yankees appear motivated to explore the market before the tender deadline rather than carry an uncertain asset into next spring.
Whether another club views Gil as a worthwhile reclamation project will determine if he remains in pinstripes or begins the next phase of his career elsewhere.
Originally reported by yardbarker.