It’s easy to forget that even the pros spend every day learning, and New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil’s most recent outing was a prime example of that.
It started when he balked in his first run of Sunday’s series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays with two outs in the third inning to tie the game at one apiece. That call prompted him to stare down at the home plate umpire — a position that caused far more trouble on Monday afternoon — and before it got any worse, manager Aaron Boone paid a visit to the mound.
“There’s been a couple times early in the season here where I feel like things that have gone on in the game have affected Luis a little bit emotionally,” Boone said. “And my message to him [is that] you can process something, take something in, but we got to move on to the next pitch. I feel like that situation [with the first balk] maybe got the best of him a little bit.”
Boone talked Gil down, and clearly, something worked, as he got a strikeout to end the inning and let the offense go to work.
That wasn’t the end of the lesson for Gil, though. With a runner on second, he went for a pickoff attempt in the fourth inning and failed, getting another balk called on him. This time, his reaction was far more muted.
“I thought he did a great job the next time, where he’s going through it quick, trying to change his pace… where he did the balk to second base, [he was] unaffected by it,” Boone said. “All of his focus went into the next pitch and he ended up getting the strikeout.”
Even major leaguers learn lessons, but it doesn’t necessarily involve a textbook and a chalkboard like it does for the typical student.
“These are these little lessons that keep coming up that are going to be good for his growth,” Boone explained. “The talent’s undeniable, handling these situations in-game that can get you off your game, you can’t allow that to happen, he’s doing a better job of that and he’s had some good learning moments so far.”
In his outing, Gil went 5.2 innings, giving up one unearned run on two hits across 97 pitches as the Yankees pulled out a 5-4 victory.
– Michelle Rabinovich
DJ LeMahieu takes next step
The Yankees announced on Tuesday that veteran third baseman DJ LeMahieu began his rehab assignment with the club’s Double-A affiliate in Somerset.
The 35-year-old has yet to make his 2024 season debut after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his right foot during the latter portions of spring training. It was initially labeled a bone bruise before further testing revealed the extent of the damage.
His recovery has taken somewhat longer than expected. Last week, he told reporters that he was hoping to begin his rehab assignment toward the end of last week, but team doctors were not happy with the way the foot was healing. Therefore, they pushed things back a few days.
Throughout his absence, LeMahieu has been doing fielding work and swinging the bat — both off the tee and in the cage — but live-game action will properly determine a concrete timetable for when he can return to the big leagues. The two-time batting champion is hopeful that he will need roughly five rehab games to get back.
–Joe Pantorno
