Luis Gil surpasses Yankees great El Duque with rookie record 14-strikeout performance

NEW YORK – As he watched Luis Gil's most impressive performance to date, Juan Soto said "it was fun, just standing out there'' in right field, taking it all in.

After navigating through first-inning turbulence, Gil’s noteworthy start to the 2024 season reached another level Saturday afternoon, with a franchise-setting rookie record 14 strikeouts.

At one point, Gil fanned seven straight Chicago White Sox, on the way to a 6-1 Yankees win that also featured Soto's first multi-homer game in pinstripes.

Soto blasted two of the Yanks’ four home runs off starter Brad Keller, as the Yanks (32-15) won their sixth straight game, with a chance at a three-game sweep of Chicago (14-33) on Sunday.

At the season's 47-game mark, take your pick as to who's more deserving of Team MVP honors: Soto, or a starting staff - minus ace Gerrit Cole - that has a 3.00 ERA?

"Those guys are the reason we're in first place,'' Soto said of a rotation that has posted a 0.46 ERA over these last six games, beginning with Gil's six shutout innings last Sunday at Tampa Bay.

Luis Gil takes another giant step forward

On an overcast Bronx afternoon, Gil surpassed Orlando “El Duque’’ Hernandez’s previous Yankees rookie mark of 13 strikeouts in a game, set in 1998.

Oh, and El Duque himself had thrown out Saturday's ceremonial first pitch.

"Maybe his best fastball of the year, which is saying something,'' said manager Aaron Boone, who watched Gil, 25, accelerate after pitching out of a first inning, bases-loaded jam, limiting the White Sox to one run.

After a check-swing, RBI double by ex-Yankee Andrew Benintendi, Gil walked Paul DeJong to load the bases and fell behind Korey Lee, 2-0, before finding another gear.

Having thrown Lee four straight changeups, a pitch that has become a signature weapon, Gil struck out Lee looking at a fastball.

“For him to have the demeanor to stay calm and come back and do what he did, it’s special,’’ said catcher Jose Trevino, who also credited first baseman Anthony Rizzo for a timely mound visit.

From that point, Gil retired 16 of the final 18 batters he faced, 13 on strikeouts. Across six innings, he yielded just one run on five hits with a walk, totaling 98 pitches - 29 in the first inning alone.

“The most impressive thing for me has been after each start, he’s taking inventory of what he did well and what he didn’t do well,’’ pitching coach Matt Blake said before the game.

“He’s really been on a mission to keep improving and it’s been awesome to see.’’

In that span of seven straight Ks, Gil recorded five swinging third strikes on 97-98 mph fastballs, one on a slider and one caught looking at a changeup.

“You can’t really stay on the fastball too much,’’ said Trevino. “There’s a lot of options with two strikes. It’s pretty cool to see him grow right now.’’

Juan Soto breaks out in a big way

Soto blasted no-doubt solo home runs to right in the first and fifth innings, punctuated with a twirl of the bat and a look toward the ecstatic Yankees dugout.

Trevino and Giancarlo Stanton also homered, with Stanton – in a renaissance season – lashing an RBI double off the right-center field wall in a two-run first inning.

In Soto’s world, a 3-for-27 stretch becomes noticeable.

Soto batted .111 on this Yanks’ recent seven-game road trip, with just one extra-base hit (a double) and one RBI.

But his extra cage and on-field work resulted in better at-bats in Friday night’s series opener, and far better results in Saturday’s 4-for-4 game with a walk - his

Without providing any details, Soto said he was “definitely working on my swing, (to) find that feeling again where I was hitting the ball in the first month and just get that confidence back up.’’

Even in that short, unproductive stretch, Soto said he was “trying everything you can to help yourself,’’ consulting the hitting coaches and watching videos “to get that feeling back, and I think we’re in a good spot.’’

Gerrit Cole getting closer to facing hitters

Earlier on Saturday, Yankees Cole took another step in his rehab from right elbow nerve irritation Saturday, with a 40-pitch bullpen session.

“The stuff’s been sharp,’’ said Blake, adding that Cole might graduate next to facing live hitters. “We’ll see how he bounces back from today and go from there,’’ Blake said Saturday morning.

After Saturday’s game, Gil credited Cole once again for giving him subtle pointers during his start, and for Trevino for helping his focus.

“In the first inning, I didn’t feel as comfortable with the fastball,’’ said Gil, whose strong spring training performance earned him a shot in the rotation, filling the vacancy created by Cole’s injury.

Coming off a long rehab from Tommy John surgery in 2022, “I did a lot of work to get myself in a good position coming into camp,’’ Gil said through an interpreter. “(I) just wanted to do the best I could for this team.’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees' Luis Gil continues his impressive early season with a 14-strikeout performance