The worst news before the season start for Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees came with the confirmation of Luis Gil’s severe injury. The Yankees’ manager had to address the issue himself.

Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees jogs in at the end of the inning after catching a ball hit off the bat of Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at the wall during the fourth inning of Game Five of the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. © Getty Images Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees jogs in at the end of the inning after catching a ball hit off the bat of Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at the wall during the fourth inning of Game Five of the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

Aaron Judge is witnessing his New York Yankees teammates suffering injuries before the official start of the 2025 MLB season. One of the affected players is Luis Gil, whose injury severity was recently confirmed by Aaron Boone. Unfortunately, Gil will not be available for Opening Day.

According to information revealed by Aaron Boone, Gil is suffering from a high-grade right lat strain. This injury will not only keep him out of the first game of the year but will also sideline him for at least six long weeks. Another blow to the Yankees’ defense.

Judge has known Luis Gil since 2021 when the pitcher joined the Yankees, his first and only MLB team. Last season, Gil started 29 games, finishing with a 3.50 ERA and 151.2 innings pitched, recording 15 wins and 7 losses.

Boone knows that not having Gil for several weeks will be a significant issue, especially with other player injuries. However, the Yankees‘ rotation still looks solid for the start of the season.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MAY 12: Starting pitcher Luis Gil #81 of the New York Yankees delivers the baseball in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 12, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MAY 12: Starting pitcher Luis Gil #81 of the New York Yankees delivers the baseball in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 12, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Yankees’ Rotation Without Luis Gil

The relief for the Yankees and their defense, where Judge will be in the outfield, is that without Luis Gil, the rotation still looks good with Gerrit Cole leading as the ace and Max Fried as another key player. Last season was good for them, especially for Fried, who participated in 29 games after falling short in 2023 with only 14.

Gerrit Cole
Max Fried
Carlos Rodón
Clarke Schmidt
Marcus Stroman
Will Warren

Marcus Stroman is the only uncertain starter, but he will have time to prove his readiness during the early days of the 2025 season, something everyone is eager to see.

Gil projection for the 2025 season

According to Baseball Reference, Luis Gil is projected to have a strong 2025 season, with an expected record of 11 wins and 7 losses and an ERA of 3.64 over 136 innings pitched. He is anticipated to achieve 146 strikeouts and maintain a WHIP of 1.206, demonstrating his capability to contribute significantly to the Yankees’ rotation.