As the New York Yankees get ready to start rookie pitcher Luis Gil in Game 4 of the World Series, there is a tangible sense of expectation. The game, which will be played at Yankee Stadium, is expected to contrast the disciplined Dodgers lineup against Gil’s undeveloped throwing ability. The Dodgers present a special challenge for Gil, who led the league in walks despite pitching comparatively few innings. This battle will test the Yankees’ rookie pitcher due to the lineup’s patience at the plate.
Contents
- 1 Gil’s Challenge: The Dodgers’ Willingness to Put Up With His Walking Propensities
- 2 In Control of the Zone: Gil’s Battle for Consistency
- 3 Gil’s Method: Getting Past Walks with Unhittable Items
- 4 Studying Blake Snell: An Example of Achievement
- 5 Adjusting to the Dodgers: Gil’s Most Recent Victory Over Los Angeles
- 6 Expectations for Game 4: Will Gil Be Able to Meet the Challenge?
Gil’s Challenge: The Dodgers’ Willingness to Put Up With His Walking Propensities
Gil has struggled to keep walks to a minimum throughout his first season. Despite only pitching the 64th most innings in 2024, he gave up the most free passes in the league, mostly due to his inability to persuade hitters to pursue pitches outside the zone. Gil rarely persuades batters to swing at pitches that are not strikes, and his pursuit rate is in the 15th percentile. This poses a significant challenge for the Dodgers, who boast one of the league’s highest walk rates (9.6%) and lowest chase rates (25.7%), which could potentially exploit Gil’s weaknesses.
The data presents a clear picture. At 12.5%, Gil has one of the higher walk rates among starters in recent years. For a pitcher who frequently lags behind in counts, the Dodgers lineup, which is selective and disciplined, is the wrong opponent. Gil will have to cut down on walks and concentrate on pitching farther into counts in order to test the Dodgers’ patience without giving up too many runs.
In Control of the Zone: Gil’s Battle for Consistency
Gil’s high walk counts might indicate control problems, but the situation is more complex. Gil is capable of throwing strikes; his 49% in-zone percentage is comparable to the league average of 51%. His poor chase rate and difficulties with first-pitch strikes are the main causes of the problem. Just 25% of Gil’s out-of-zone pitches get batters to swing, which is less than the Major League average of 29%. Cristopher Sánchez and other elites start at around 40%, indicating that Gil needs to do better in this area.
Gil’s first-pitch strikes are another area of weakness. His first-pitch strike rate is the third-lowest among starters with similar innings over the last four seasons. Gil’s extended counts lead to high pitch counts and, eventually, increased potential for walks, even if some effective pitchers, like Cristian Javier, also have trouble in this area. The Dodgers’ lineup, ranking fifth in terms of pitches seen per plate appearance, will likely challenge Gil in this area.
Gil’s Method: Getting Past Walks with Unhittable Items
Gil has a secret weapon despite his control issues: his pitches are infamously difficult to hit. His ability to dominate batters with his natural talent was demonstrated by his.171 average against in the first half of the season. Among pitchers with more than 100 innings, Gil’s fastball is ranked third in the league and has continuously perplexed batters. Because of his efficacy, he has been able to succeed in games despite having a high walk rate. Gil challenges batters with “nasty stuff,” which is an effective tactic as long as he can prevent the opponent from making strong contact.
Gil’s potential is shown by sophisticated analytics such as FanGraphs’ Stuff+. Despite his lack of skill in the strike zone, his pitch collection is among the top 20 in the league. Sometimes he may overcome his high walk rate by pushing batters to swing at his offerings. Whether this strategy can withstand the strain of the World Series will be put to the test against the Dodgers’ lineup.
Studying Blake Snell: An Example of Achievement
Gil’s approach has been used before. Blake Snell led the league in walks in 2023, which is uncommon in modern baseball, and he earned the National League Cy Young Award. Gil and Snell both use unhittable pitches to block hits, even if doing so results in more walks. Gil has been likened to Snell throughout the season, especially for his ability to limit damage with his pitches and work out of three-ball counts.
Gil can use Snell’s success as a guide. Gil demonstrated his ability to limit damage in the first half of the season with a 3.06 ERA and a.174 batting average against. However, his second half was hampered by injuries and patchy play, which resulted in a 5.03 ERA and a noticeable increase in home runs given up. Gil will need to regain his early-season form, limiting hits and home runs while avoiding the walks, if he hopes to duplicate Snell’s success.
Adjusting to the Dodgers: Gil’s Most Recent Victory Over Los Angeles
Interestingly, Gil has already faced and performed well against the Dodgers in June this season. He gave up just one walk and held them to three runs in five and a third innings throughout the contest. Gil accomplished this by inducing more swings and chases than normal rather than by throwing more strikes. Gil upset the Dodgers’ methodical approach by making them swing, a move he might try to repeat in Game 4.
But the difficulty is still great. Even if his tactic worked against the Dodgers once, they’ll probably change it. Gil will need to keep his fastball under control while striking a balance between attracting swings and avoiding costly errors in the strike zone. Gil has a limited chance of winning because of the Dodgers’ difficulties against right-handed four-seamers, if he can locate his pitches well.
Expectations for Game 4: Will Gil Be Able to Meet the Challenge?
The stakes are bigger than ever as Gil takes the mound in Game 4. Although it is a dangerous decision because of his control problems, the Yankees may have a shot if he can minimize hits. Gil’s patience and stamina will be put to the test by the Dodgers’ methodical approach, which will need him to find the strike zone more frequently than he has this season. Gil could step up in this crucial game if he can find a way to balance minimizing walks with maintaining the effectiveness of his pitches.
Gil’s ability to restrict the Dodgers’ scoring opportunities and prevent harm from his fastball will ultimately determine how successful he is. Gil has displayed moments of genius throughout the season, despite the Dodgers being a formidable opponent. The Yankees might be one step closer to winning a World Series if he can focus on his best work and keep the Dodgers’ orderly lineup in check.
