New York Yankees right-hander Luis Gil will be out to finish a historic month in style when he takes the mound against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night in the middle contest of a three-game series at Anaheim, Calif.
In five starts this month, Gil has allowed one run or less, including three starts that have been scoreless. He is one of three Yankees pitchers to allow one run or less in at least five consecutive outings, joining Steve Kline (six in 1972) and CC Sabathia (five in 2011).
By going 5-0 in May with an ERA of 0.59, Gil is 6-1 for the season with a 2.11 ERA.
After Gil struck out 14 in six innings on May 18 against the Chicago White Sox to set a Yankees rookie record for a single game, he returned five days later and fanned eight batters in 6 1/3 innings against the Seattle Mariners.
“It’s being focused on what I need to do out there, going out and executing a plan of attack,” Gil told reporters through an interpreter. “You look at this team and the support they’ve given me all year round, (it’s) a combination of many different things that have led me to this.”
Gil, 25, who will face the Angels for the first time, was only included in the rotation to start the season because Gerrit Cole went on the injured list in spring training.
When Cole returns, it will be an embarrassment of riches, with all five current New York starters holding an ERA of 3.30 or better.
New York’s starting staff set a major league record Tuesday with 15 consecutive starts of at least five innings and two runs or less. Left-hander Nestor Cortes gave up two runs in 5 1/3 innings, although the Yankees dropped a 4-3 decision to the Angels. Juan Soto hit a home run and Anthony Volpe extended his hitting streak to 20 games for New York.
Los Angeles has its own All-Star Game candidate in left-hander Tyler Anderson, who will start opposite Gil on Wednesday.
Anderson (5-4, 2.52 ERA) is coming off a season-long eight-inning outing on the road against the Houston Astros last Wednesday in which he gave up one run on six hits. That outing was five days after he allowed one run over seven innings on the road vs. the Texas Rangers.
The Angels won four of their six games on a recent road trip, and Anderson earned the win in two of those.
“I can’t say enough of what he did and what he’s been doing and what he has done in the past,” Angels manager Ron Washington said, according to The Orange County Register. “So it’s very important for our young pitchers to see what it’s like to go out there and leave everything you have on the field. He did that for us (against the Astros) and got us an opportunity to get a win.”
Anderson has faced the Yankees just once. He gave up two runs over five innings in a no-decision in 2021.
After three consecutive losses against the Cleveland Guardians over the weekend, the Angels beat the Yankees on a go-ahead, two-run double from Taylor Ward in the eighth inning. Kevin Pillar hit a home run Tuesday, his fifth in 17 games since he signed as a free agent on April 30.
Angels relievers retired the final 12 Yankees batters on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
