One of the biggest surprises for the New York Yankees this season has been the consistent excellence of starting pitcher Luis Gil of Azua, Dominican Republic. The 26-year-old right handed pitcher may be fifth on the Yankees when it comes to the starting rotation, but he is pitching more like an ace. As a result, Gil is not just in the American League Rookie of the Year conversation, but American League Cy Young conversation as well. Only once before has a starting pitcher won the Rookie of the Year Award and Cy Young Award in the same season. That was Fernando Valenzuela of Navojoa, Mexico who won the National League Rookie of the Year and National League Cy Young Award while with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981.
Luis Gil’s MLB statistics
Gil has a record of eight wins and one loss with an earned run average of 2.04. In 13 games and 75 innings pitched, he has given up 35 hits, 17 earned runs, five home runs, and 35 walks, to go along with 90 strikeouts, and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 0.93. Gil leads the American League with a winning percentage of .889, and the Major Leagues with hits per nine innings at 4.2.
Gil’s eight wins are third most in the American League. He is only behind Seth Lugo of Shreveport, Louisiana, who has nine wins for the Kansas City Royals, and Carlos Rodon of Miami, Florida, who has nine wins for the Yankees.
Gil is also fifth in the American League in strikeouts with 90. He is only behind Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet of Ocean Springs, Mississippi (103), Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans of Crawfordville, Florida (98), Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal of Hayward, California (96), and Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty of Burbank, California (94).
Gil is also third in the American League in earned run average behind Boston Red Sox starter Tanner Houck of St. Louis, Missouri (1.91), and Skubal (1.92). At this time, Skubal would be the front runner for the Cy Young with Gil in the conversation. It is clear that Gil is the front runner for the American League Rookie of the Year, and should still be in the Yankees’s starting rotation when Gerrit Cole returns from his elbow injury.
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