Yankees trade rumors could put an affordable arm on the Royals' radar

As one former AL Rookie of the Year is currently stuck in baseball limbo, the Kansas City Royals could take a bold chance to bolster their depleted pitching staff. New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil has taken quite a tumble over the past few seasons. He went from one of the best and brightest young pitchers in the game to essentially a throwaway player without a role in New York. 

While Gil has recently seen his fair share of struggles, he could become an ideal candidate as a reclamation project for the Royals. The 28-year-old pitcher has thrown just over 84 innings since being named as the top Rookie in the AL in 2024. As a result, he's continued to become buried on the team's depth chart. Now the Yankees will have to make a choice regarding his future very shortly.  

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Gil may be non-tendered in November since he is projected to make a little over $2 million in 2027. In an entry into his Pinstripe Post podcast series, Sherman speculated that the Yankees could be willing to part ways with a pitcher that they once held in high regard in order to save that money and spend it elsewhere.  

Since Gil will no longer have any minor league options left next season, the Yankees will be very limited in what they can do with him still on the payroll. Thanks to a crowded pitching staff and a number of young arms waiting in the wings, this means that Gil could become expendable for the Bronx Bombers. This creates an interesting opportunity for the Royals. 

Luis Gil could give the Royals a dynamic arm on their pitching staff 

Unlike the Yankees, who are seemingly blessed with an endless parade of viable arms, the Royals are in desperate need for pitching depth. After a brutal rash of injuries ripped through the pitching staff in Kansas City in 2026, the team struggled to keep their head above water. Those injuries could continue to have a rippling effect well into next season. 

Pitchers Cole Ragans, Stephen Kolek, and Luinder Avila all had season-ending surgeries in 2026 and will have a challenging road ahead of them if they are set to return at some point next year. That means that there will be a number of holes to fill throughout the Royals’ pitching staff. Royals GM J.J. Picollo will likely look to free agency to add some affordable arms, but he could look to the Yankees and Gil as another viable option. 

Outside of the affordable $2.3 million contract that Gil is set to earn in 2027, he likely wouldn’t cost the Royals a fortune in prospects to acquire either. Without a clear future on the Yankees and limited production over the last two seasons, Gil is now at a diminished trade value that lands squarely inside the Royals’ budget. Even with boom or bust potential, it just might be worth the risk. 

In his 20 appearances since 2024, Gil has seen a substantial regression across the board. His walks per nine rate still remains well above 4.5 while his strikeout rate has nearly been slashed in half. Gil has struck out just 58 batters in 84.1 innings of work during that time frame. This was due in part to his lack of control and a drop in velocity over the last two years. Simply put, Gil has no longer been able to get opponents to swing and miss. 

Okay, you might read that and think that the Royals would be foolish to even consider dealing for a pitcher who appears to have completely lost his "It" factor. But Gil has dealt with numerous injuries of his own since 2024. From shoulder inflammation to a lat strain, Gil has not been able to stay on the mound long enough to recapture his dominant form. But with a clean bill of health and a full offseason to get back on track, there is optimism that Gil can get back to becoming a successful pitcher in the big leagues. 

As a buy-low option for the 2027 season, Gil could be a worthwhile risk for the Royals. If he pitches well enough to help the team get back to postseason contention, he'll be considered a steal. If he pitches poorly and is designated for assignment by June, nobody would blame the Royals' front office for trying. They don't really have much to lose.

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