Yankees pitcher Luis Gil will be out for at least three months due to a lat strain, while designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is avoiding elbow surgery for now, according to general manager Brian Cashman.
Infielder DJ LeMahieu also reported a left calf strain on Thursday, with a diagnosis of either a grade 1 or 2 tear, sidelining him for several weeks in his fifth consecutive injury-plagued season.
Gil, last year’s AL Rookie of the Year, had to cut his bullpen session short last Friday due to shoulder tightness. After undergoing a second MRI in New York, it was revealed he has a high-grade lat strain. Cashman stated that, if everything goes well, Gil could return by summer. However, Gil will need at least six weeks of rest, and potentially more, depending on his recovery progress. Following that, he’ll go through a throwing program and rehab games, meaning his return could stretch up to three months.
Gil finished last season with a 15-7 record, a 3.50 ERA, and 171 strikeouts in 151.2 innings. With him out, Marcus Stroman is expected to take his spot in the starting rotation alongside Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt.
Luis Gil
As for Stanton, he revealed on Feb. 17 that he hadn’t swung a bat in weeks due to elbow pain. The Yankees confirmed that he received a second round of platelet-rich plasma injections in both elbows while in New York. Cashman mentioned that Stanton is expected to return to Tampa by the weekend but that surgery is not currently being considered, describing it as a “last resort.” Cashman added that surgery would only be considered after multiple failed treatments.
Stanton, 35, hit .233 with 27 homers and 72 RBIs in 114 games last season, with a strained left hamstring interrupting his campaign. In the postseason, he batted .273 with seven homers and 16 RBIs. Since joining the Yankees in 2018, Stanton has dealt with various injuries, including strains to his biceps, knee, hamstring, quadriceps, and ankle, as well as Achilles tendinitis, leading to him missing 266 games over five seasons.
LeMahieu’s injury occurred in his first spring training game, but Cashman has yet to receive the full results of his MRI.
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