Gil earns spot in Yankees’ rotation

TAMPA, Fla. – Luis Gil captured the Yankees’ open rotation spot, and the season-opening bullpen configuration began to take shape Sunday.

At Mexico City, manager Aaron Boone told reporters including MLB.com that Gil had won the final starter’s job, a rotation void caused by ace Gerrit Cole’s injury.

Due to elbow irritation, Cole is expected to miss about two months.

After missing most of the last two seasons due to rehab from Tommy John surgery, Gil, 25, has been a sharp mound presence in camp, pitching to a 2.87 ERA in five games.

Across 15.2 Grapefruit League innings, Gil struck out 23 batters and walked six.

Opening Day is Thursday at Houston, with Nestor Cortes set to open against the Astros in a four-game set, followed by Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman and Clarke Schmidt.

Capping a fine, first spring as a Yankee, Stroman tossed six shutout innings (four hits, two walks, five strikeouts) in Sunday’s 1-0 Yankees exhibition win against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Bradenton.

Gil lines up for the season’s fifth game against the defending NL champion Diamondbacks at Arizona.

The right-handed Gil has limited big-league experience in 2021 and 2022 before his elbow injury. In this camp, he outlasted impressive rookie Will Warren and the more established Cody Poteet and Luke Weaver.

Poteet was optioned Sunday to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre along with relievers Nick Ramirez and Ron Marinaccio, while Warren was reassigned to minor league camp.

The demotions of the lefty Ramirez and Marinaccio, the Toms River right-hander, increases the chances that non-roster right-handers Nick Burdi and Dennis Santana might make the club.

Weaver could stick as a long reliever. Tommy Kahnle, delayed about two weeks in camp by a shoulder issue, is likely to begin the season on the injured list, along with Scott Effross (back) and Lou Trivino (elbow), who are down-the-road options in 2024.