Luis Gil to Make First Start at Busch Stadium Against Cardinals
Get ready, Cardinals fans, because Luis Gil is set to make his first start at Busch Stadium on Friday as the Yankees kick off a three-game series. The flame-throwing right-hander, hailing from the Dominican city of Azua, has been making waves in the baseball world since signing his first professional contract with the Twins and being traded to the Yankees.
But before all of that, Gil caught the eye of Cardinals area scout Rodny Jimenez. A former minor league pitcher in the Braves organization, Jimenez recognized Gil’s incredible arm talent when he was just 16 years old.
“He advocated and felt strongly about Luis’ potential,” Moisés Rodríguez, the Cardinals’ assistant general manager of major league operations and international scouting, shared with the Daily News this week via email.
in his first start of the season against the Blue Jays
Yankees’ Luis Gil Almost Signed with Cardinals as International Free Agent
By Gary Phillips | gphillips@nydailynews.com | New York Daily News
Could Have Been a Cardinal
Luis Gil, the flame-throwing right-hander for the New York Yankees, will be making his first start at Busch Stadium on Friday as the Yankees take on the Cardinals in a three-game series. But it could have been a different story for Gil, who once imagined that the stadium could have been his home ballpark.
Before signing with the Twins and eventually being traded to the Yankees, Gil received significant interest from Cardinals area scout Rodny Jimenez. Jimenez, a former minor league pitcher for the Braves, recognized Gil’s talent and was a strong advocate for him.
Jimenez’s Passion for Gil
Moisés Rodríguez, the Cardinals’ assistant general manager of major league operations and international scouting, spoke highly of Jimenez’s passion for Gil. He told the Daily News via email that Jimenez was “very convicted about the player” and was always looking to improve his craft.
Unfortunately, Jimenez passed away unexpectedly in 2014 at the age of 32. Gil was close to signing with the Cardinals, but the deal never materialized after Jimenez’s death. The Cardinals organization remembered Jimenez as someone with a lot of passion for his family and the game of baseball.
A More Seasoned Gil
Now, the Cardinals will finally get to see Gil in action at Busch Stadium. After a lat injury delayed his season debut, Gil is now the reigning American League Rookie of the Year. In 2024, he went 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 29 starts.
Despite his reputation for being erratic at times, Gil has shown great potential and the Cardinals will have a chance to see it firsthand on Friday. It’s a bittersweet moment for Rodríguez, who still remembers Jimenez’s strong belief in Gil. But he is also excited to see how Gil has developed as a player since then.
