Yankees’ Luis Gil shows his promise with career-best strikeout performance against Rays

Luis Gil has made four starts and has yet to allow more than three hits in any. His stuff plays. Opposing hitters rarely square him up.

The issue before Sunday’s start: walks. He had given out 14 free passes in 14 innings pitched, a major reason he hadn’t recorded an out past the fifth inning.

That changed in the series finale against the Rays.

Gil’s command was much better, and he was able to work into the sixth inning while registering a career-high nine strikeouts, as the Yankees took the series with this 5-4 victory at the Stadium.

“It’s a really good peek at how good he is when he’s filling up the strike zone,” manager Aaron Boone said.

This was a step in the right direction for Gil after he walked seven in a loss to the Blue Jays.