“When it rains, it pours” – that seems to be the Yankees’ anthem this season. Just when they thought things couldn’t get worse, the 26-year-old AL Rookie of the Year, Luis Gil goes down.

It landed on the Yankees’ stomachs like a fastball: Luis Gil, one of their best young pitchers, was out with a high-grade latissimus dorsi strain. It’s a cruel irony and a huge blow for a pitcher expected to play a key role in their rotation. And as the whispers of doubt echo through the Bronx, one question remains: WHAT NEXT?

“He’s going to need another spring training” – That’s #MLBNHotStove pointed out on MLB Network. Tbh, these words spell doom for Luis Gil and the Yankees.

A near-star pitcher has a six-week recovery period, which could prove detrimental for the rest of his career. “He’s going to start from ground zero in six weeks,” mentioned insider Harold Reynolds. According to his predictions, Gil is not coming back at least before “at least the second half of the season.”

It’s not simply a matter of a few missed starts; it’s about the interruption of his development, the loss of rhythm, and the mental scars of a serious injury. 

As discussed on the MLB Network, “He was rookie of the year. He really saved the Yankees at the beginning of last season because remember Garrett Cole was unavailable.”

Undoubtedly, Gil’s contributions were impeccable last season, finishing 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA. He didn’t merely eat innings – he was overpowering, racking up 171 strikeouts in 151.2 innings of work. Those are ace-level numbers, the kind that make you believe in a young pitcher’s future.

Of course, the Yankees will be worried.

Gil’s injury: A test of the Yankees’ depth

Their options? Without Gil, the vacuum remains.

Marcus Stroman? A veteran, sure, but his 2024 season was rough – a 4.76 ERA and an alarming tendency to serve up the long ball. Will Warren? Good future, but can he take the heat of the Bronx? It’s a gamble, and the odds are not very encouraging. Last season, the Yankees’ other starters averaged a 5.12 ERA – not the performance you expect from a title-winning rotation. And this is not merely a rotation gap – it is a crisis.

But wait, don’t hit the panic button just yet. The Yankees still have hope.

Stroman has thrown the ball well this spring, despite last year’s hiccup. He’s been hitting his spots, keeping the ball down – and that ERA? 2.16 over 8 innings. Great! Right? He’s probably back in the track.

And there’s Warren, the rookie with a lightning fastball and no fear. He’s been slicing through hitters in spring training, fanning seven and giving up only one hit in five innings. Okay, it’s only spring training, but it shows he may be ready for the big stage.

True that Gil’s wound is a gut punch for a team that’s already reeling. Recall Stanton’s hamstring problem? LeMahieu’s odd foot problem? Now Gil’s shoulder is added to the list, which is getting longer, of what-ifs that have the Yankees wobbling. It’s a challenge of depth, a test of their true resilience. Will they defeat this curse of injuries? Will they be able to plug the leaks and remain in the title race? Questions abound, and the answers are elusive.