Luis Gil takes home Yankees' 10th AL Rookie of the Year award; first since teammate Aaron Judge in 2017

The New York Yankees might have another superstar on their hands. On Monday night, Luis Gil was named the American League Rookie of the Year. The 26-year-old from Azua, Dominican Republic, was tremendous for the Bronx Bombers this season. He became the first Yankees pitcher to win the award since Dave Righetti in 1981.

Even though Gil made short appearances in 2021 and 2022, the dynamic pitcher maintained rookie eligibility. The hard-throwing right-hander was impressive for the Yankees in his first full season in the MLB, posting a strong 15-7 record with a 3.50 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 151.2 innings.

Despite the strong showing, Gil won a tight race against Baltimore Orioles slugger Colton Cowser when it came down to the voting. According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, Gil received 15 first-place votes, while Colton Cowser kept it close with 13 first-place votes.

It was a close race that came down to the end. However, the AL Rookie of the Year Award is returning to the Bronx for the first time since Aaron Judge won it in 2017. Despite the storied history of the Yankees, this is only the 10th time that a player for the club has won the American League Rookie of the Year Award.

Since Dave Righetti won the award in 1981, only Derek Jeter (1996) and Aaron Judge have won it for the New York Yankees. This may be a surprise, given the number of top prospects who have made their way through the system. Players such as Anthony Volpe finished 8th in 2023 and Gary Sanchez finished 2nd in voting behind Michael Fulmer in 2015.

Luis Gil will be an important part of the Yankees rotation moving forward despite offseason targets

The New York Yankees reached the World Series for the first time since 2009. Despite falling 4-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers, they should be considered a top contender yet again next season. The front office is expected to inquire about several top free-agent pitchers, such as Blake Snell and Corbin Burnes. However, Gil has cemented himself with a role moving forward.

Even though landing Burnes or Snell would be major news, Luis Gil should have secured a spot in the rotation next year. While he will still need to battle the likes of Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes Jr., and Marcus Stroman, given his 2024 performances, he should have the upper hand on his teammates.