The New York Yankees faced off against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, providing some promising news on their injured roster. Meredith Marakovits of YES Network shared updates on several sidelined Yankees, each carrying a sense of optimism.
Starting pitcher Luis Gil, who had been dealing with a right lat strain, threw from flat ground on Sunday for the first time since his diagnosis. Marakovits noted that Gil felt “good” following the session. Initially, he was expected to start throwing earlier in the month but encountered a small setback.
Despite this, Gil is on a schedule that should see him back by June, requiring a buildup akin to spring training before rejoining the rotation. The Yankees’ pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries, with Gerrit Cole, Clayton Beeter, JT Brubaker, Jake Cousins, Scott Effross, and Marcus Stroman all on either the 15-day or 60-day injured list.
Regarding Jake Cousins, he has progressed to throwing from the mound and is set to conduct live sessions next week, which typically involves live batting practice. Following this, he will begin a rehab assignment. Cousins, who is on the 60-day IL due to a right flexor strain, is not eligible for activation before mid-May after being placed on the IL on March 27. Last season, he recorded a 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA across 37 games, striking out 53 and walking 20 over 38 innings.
On the offensive end, third baseman DJ LeMahieu is continuing his rehab stint with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In three games with Double-A Somerset, his bat has come alive, as he posted a slash line of .625/.625/1.125, hitting one homer and driving in three runs. He was sidelined on March 26 due to a left calf strain sustained during spring training.
LeMahieu has been plagued by injuries over the past couple of seasons, and after a 2024 season where he managed just 67 games with a .204/.269/.259 slash line, two home runs, and 26 RBI, New York had hoped he would fill the role of their regular third baseman this year.
Lastly, relief pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga pitched a scoreless inning for the first time this season, as the Tarpons faced off against the Dunedin Blue Jays on Saturday. He gave up no hits and struck out one over 10 pitches, eight of which were strikes. Loáisiga is embarking on his rehab assignment after undergoing an internal brace procedure on his throwing elbow a year ago. His season was cut short last April due to a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, commonly linked to Tommy John surgery, along with a right flexor strain.
