The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year’s pro baseball career has been on a rollercoaster ride for the past year and a half. 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. Now, an injury has extinguished his faint hopes of returning to the major league.

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 landed on the minor league IL with right shoulder inflammation. Per skipper Aaron Boone, the Yankees would shut down Gil for at least three weeks.

“No, I think it’s new,” Boone said when asked whether Gil’s injury had contributed to his poor performance.

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, Gil logged a 3.32 ERA in 57.0 innings. He also pitched for the Yankees in the Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. 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. According to Boone, team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad diagnosed Gil with the injury following several tests.

If his MLB tenure resulted in an injury, the Yankees would need to cancel his option and place Gil on the major league IL. Over the last two seasons, Gil’s numbers have dropped significantly compared to his rookie year. His strikeout rate has dropped to only 10.6% this season, compared to 2024’s 26.8%. His ERA has also spiked up from his career average of 3.58.

Gil is reportedly shut down for at least three weeks due to the injury. According to the NY Post, he will probably not be pitching for the next six weeks, as he would need to build up to his start.

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

Meanwhile, another Yankees player has landed on the IL following an on-field injury.

Luis Gil lands on IL with shoulder inflammation as Dominguez also injured

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

During the Yankees’ 9-2 win against the Texas Rangers, Dominguez 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, Dominguez 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 Dominguez as he lay motionless on the ground before he was 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.

Following his injury, the Yankees have called up top prospect Spencer Jones to the major league.