“I let the team down today” - Luis Gil reflects on disappointing start as Yankees falter against an aggressive Orioles offense
The New York Yankees fell to a devastating 17-5 defeat against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, and starting pitcher Luis Gil shouldered much of the blame after a disappointing outing. With their three-game series tied heading into the final game, an aggressive Orioles blew past the Yankees to take the series.
It was the worst start of the season for Gil, who gave up seven runs and lasted only 1.1 innings. After the game, he admitted to a dismal outing, saying:
"There's good days and bad days out there. Today was definitely not my best. I felt like I let the team down today."
He started the game well enough, giving up an RBI single in the first inning. Things then took a nasty turn after he gave up a two-run homer in the second, followed by some sketchy defensive work that saw the Yankees go 7-0 down. While he was quick to take the blame for the team's defeat, the Dominican pitcher vowed to turn things around.
Luis Gil was originally signed as an international free agent by the Minnesota Twins in 2015 but was traded to the New York Yankees in 2016. He worked his way up the minor leagues and earned his major league debut in 2021, announcing himself with a hot run of form. He has since moved in and out of the minors and was named in the Yankees starting rotation for the 2024 season after Gerrit Cole's injury.
Gil and the Yankees have made an impressive start to the season, with the pitcher entering Thursday's game with a 2.03 ERA and a 9-1 record. However, he was blown away by the dominant Orioles lineup who handed him his worst defeat of the season so far.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone backs Luis Gil after tough loss
Baltimore Orioles asserted themselves as genuine AL East contenders after blowing past the New York Yankees with a 17-5 win to take the series. In doing so, they handed Luis Gil the worst start to the season. Yankees manager Aaron Boone defended the young pitcher after the game, saying:
"He's in the midst of a great year, and this doesn't change that. This is one bump in the road."
While Luis Gil may have had a tough outing, he is still having the best season of his MLB career and has no reason to doubt his ability. What matters now is how he reacts to a loss like this.