New York Yankees Expected to Receive Pair of Major Reinforcements in Near Future

Two key New York Yankees' hurlers are nearing a return from the IL.

Aug 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees' pitching staff has dealt with a slew of injuries this year, but they're about to get a lot stronger in the regular season's final month.

As manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Sunday, there is a "very good chance" that the team will be getting a pair of starters back next weekend in Chicago in Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, via Max Goodman of NJ Advance Media.

Gil, who was placed on the 15-day IL on August 21 with a lower back strain, made his first minor league rehab start for Double-A Somerset on Sunday. The hard-throwing righty went 3.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits. He tossed 80 pitches (52 strikes), walked two and struck out six batters for the Patriots.

Luis Gil's final line is in from his rehab start in Somerset:

3.2 IP | 4 H | 3 ER | 2 BB | 6 K | 80 pitches🔥 pic.twitter.com/q9dqdw4iJA

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 1, 2024

In addition to Gil, right-hander Clarke Schmidt is scheduled to make his third and likely final rehab start on Monday. Schmidt's rehab assignment was recently moved to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but he will make his next minor league outing with Double-A Somerset in a makeup game against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

Schmidt has been on the shelf since late-May with a right lat strain. The 28-year-old was one of the Yankees' best starters before suffering his injury, posting a 5-3 record, 2.52 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 67 strikeouts across 60.2 innings and 11 starts.

If all goes well, Gil and Schmidt rejoining the Yankees' rotation for their series against the Chicago Cubs next weekend will be a major boost for New York.

It also means the Yankees will likely have a tough decision to make once Gil and Schmidt are activated. Lefty Nestor Cortes had a stellar month of August, where he notched a 3-1 record and 2.49 ERA in 25.1 innings (four starts). But unless the club opts to go with a six-man rotation, Cortes could wind up being the odd man out.

Cortes was an obvious candidate for the bullpen in the postseason, so it's possible he could get a head start in a relief role as the regular season winds down.

Regardless, a healthy starting rotation is something the Yankees have lacked all season and it will be interesting to see how they operate at full strength as they aim to capture the AL East title over the Baltimore Orioles.