To make room for Gil on the active roster, reliever Scott Effross was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Gil, who was so good early this season that he was a name being bandied about as the All-Star Game starter for the American League, had been struggling before landing on the IL due to a lower back strain.
In his final two starts before the injury, he allowed four runs in 4.0 innings to the White Sox and three runs in 3.0 innings against the Guardians — a game he exited due to the back issue.
Gil has thrown 124.2 innings this season in what is his first year back after Tommy John surgery. His prior career-high was 29.1 in 2021.
It is unclear whether the Yanks have a soft cap on Gil innings-wise, but his recent issues combined with the struggles of Clay Holmes have created a situation where it might make sense to consider using him as a high-leverage reliever.
The Yanks are currently going with a closer-by-committee following Holmes’ blown save earlier this week — his league-worst 11th of the season.
But Gil will return as a starting pitcher — at least initially — with him set to get the ball when New York opens a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday in Chicago.
