The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year’s pro baseball career has spiraled through injuries and demotion. Following a delayed start to the 2025 season, the New York Yankees optioned their 27-year-old starter to Triple-A in the offseason. The Yankees brought the right-hander back onto the major league roster in April only to option him again with faint hopes of returning.

The Yankees optioned Luis Gil back to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on April 26 owing to underperformance. According to the New York Post, he has now landed on the minor league IL with right shoulder inflammation. Per Aaron Boone, the Yankees would shut down Gil for at least three weeks.

“No, I think it’s new,” Boone responded when asked whether Gil’s injury had contributed to his poor performance in the big leagues.

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According to Boone, team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad diagnosed Gil with the injury following several tests.

Had his MLB tenure resulted in an injury, the Yankees would have needed to cancel his option and place the 27-year-old on the major league IL. He’d accumulated service time for as long as he’s been unavailable. But Gil will not be credited with service time if he remains on the Triple-A injured list.

Gil had begun the season in Triple-A as the Yankees opened 2026 with a four-man rotation due to off days. The Yankees pushed him to five as they picked Ryan Weathers as their fourth option.

Gil logged an ERA of 6.05 across four starts in 2026, taking two losses against the Tampa Bay Rays and the Houston Astros. He recorded 9 strikeouts across 19.1 innings with a 12.9% walk rate. In his latest major league outing against the Astros, Gil surrendered 6 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks in 4.0 innings.

After Gil strained his lat during Spring Training in 2025, the team shut him down for four months.

Across his 11 starts last season, he had logged a 3.32 ERA in 57.0 innings. He also pitched for the Yankees in the Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. But Luis Gil suffered a loss in his only postseason outing last year, giving up two homers in 2.2 innings.

The former ROTY has not made an outing in Triple-A since the Yankees optioned him in late April.

Over the last two seasons, Gil’s numbers have dropped significantly. His strikeout rate has dropped to 10.6% this season, compared to 2024’s 26.8%. His ERA has also spiked up from his career average of 3.58.

Now, even in the best-case scenario, Gil won’t throw at least till the end of May. According to the NY Post, that can even go up to six weeks, as he would need to build up to his start.

The Yankees replaced Gil with their pitching prospect  Elmer Rodríguez. Rodríguez made two outings against the Texas Rangers before he was optioned back to Triple-A, with Carlos Rodón scheduled to return on Sunday.

Rodón slots alongside a front four of Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Weathers. Each of them has pitched very well so far. Meanwhile, Gerrit Cole is just four starts into his rehab from Tommy John surgery and a few weeks away from his first MLB appearance since 2024. But for the healthy depth option for the Yankees, that’s pretty limited.

Only Rodríguez and the recently optioned Brendan Beck are the available options for their 40-man roster. Kervin Castro took Beck’s spot. In Friday night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Castro allowed 1 run and 2 hits in 2 innings pitched, recording a 4.50 ERA.

But the setback is not just with the Yankees’ rotation.

Before Luis Gil, Jasson Domínguez got injured, too

After a dominant Spring Training, with a .347 average and a 1.062 OPS, Jasson Domínguez waited in the minors for a call back from the Yankees. He continued his hot streak in the minor leagues (hitting .326), and the Yankees called him back following Giancarlo Stanton’s placement on the IL.

During the Yankees’ 9-2 win against the Texas Rangers on Thursday, Domínguez was carted off the field following a scary crash into left field.

Before his injury, the outfielder was batting .200, recording a homer and four RBIs in nine games.

On a 101-mph line drive from Brandon Nimmo, Domínguez made an impressive leaping catch in left field before he crashed hard into the digital scoreboard, suffering a hit on his head and left shoulder.

Trainers and Boone rushed to check on Domínguez as he lay motionless on the ground before getting carted off. He was on concussion protocol and went to the hospital to get an MRI to check for injuries.

Doctors diagnosed him with a sprain in his left shoulder AC joint and placed him on the IL. As he is expected to be away for at least a few weeks, the Yankees have called up top prospect Spencer Jones. And the skipper is positive about this replacement.

“The signs have been encouraging. … The power’s been there, less swing-and-miss,” said Boone.