Yankees right-handed pitcher Luis Gil impresses in his second rehab start, nears return

ATLANTA (AP) — Yankees manager Aaron Boone watched right-handed pitcher Luis Gil's second rehab start on video and said Saturday he was pleased with what he saw.

“Stuff was good, decent command,” said Boone, who watched a recording of Friday's game on Saturday morning. “More importantly, another step and kind of building that pitch count into 57 pitches.”

Gil threw 3 1/3 innings for Double-A Somerset, striking out seven while allowing two hits and two runs. He gave up a two-run homer in the first inning. Gil threw 39 of his 57 pitches for strikes. He is scheduled for one more minor league start at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday before possibly making his 2025 debut with the Yankees.

“I think the fastball is playing,” Boone said. “You see the jump on that fastball seemed like last night he was kind of in that, kind of living in that 95 range. I think I saw him up to 97 but it was like that live, you know, he’s getting to where he wants it.”

Gil suffered a strained lat in spring training that has kept him out of the Yankees rotation all season. The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA with 171 strikeouts in 151 2/3 innings last season. His first rehab start was on July 13 and was also 3 1/3 innings.

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone reacts during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 18, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

NEW YORK (AP) — Free agent outfielder Max Kepler was suspended for 80 games on Friday following a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball's drug program.

Kepler tested positive for Epitrenbolone, a substance that led to a suspension in 2018 for boxer Manuel Charr and caused the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to announced the following year it had disqualified 90-year-old cyclist Carl Grove from a world record he had set at the 2018 Masters Track National Championship.

Epitrenbolone is a metabolite of Trenbolone, which is contained in some products used in body-building stores and had been used in products to promote cattle growth.

Kepler, who turns 33 next month, is an 11-year major league veteran, who spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies after playing his first 10 seasons with the Minnesota Twins.

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FILE - Philadelphia Phillies' Max Kepler during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)