Luis Gil Secures American League Rookie of the Year Award

New York Yankees‘ right-hander Luis Gil emerged victorious in the American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award voting, narrowly triumphing by a mere five points. This marks a significant accomplishment for Gil, whose journey back from injury adds to the remarkable story of his debut season.

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) records show that this is among the closest Rookie of the Year votes in the American League since a three-player ballot was implemented in 1980. The tightest election was recorded in 2003, when Angel Berroa of the Kansas City Royals edged out New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui by a four-point difference.

Luis Gil’s win highlights the Yankees’ storied history in this domain, marking the tenth time a player from the club has achieved this honor—the highest in the American League. The Los Angeles Dodgers hold the National League record with 18 winners. Previous Yankees recipients include Gil McDougald, Bob Grim, Tony Kubek, Tom Tresh, Stan Bahnsen, Thurman Munson, Dave Righetti, Derek Jeter, and Aaron Judge.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Gil becomes the fifth Dominican-born player to secure this award and only the second pitcher, joining Neftali Feliz who won in 2010.

Competition for the title was fierce, with Baltimore Orioles’ outfielder Colton Cowser and fellow Yankees teammate Austin Wells among strong contenders. Cowser appeared on more ballots than Gil but fell short due to Gil’s greater number of first-place votes.

Sports journalists from each American League city submitted ballots prior to the postseason, using a points system that assigns five points for first place, three for second, and one for third. Gil accumulated 106 points from 15 first-place votes, 10 second-place, and one third-place vote.

Gil’s triumph follows a challenging comeback season post-surgery. After missing major league play due to Tommy John surgery, he returned to the mound in 2024 with impressive regular season statistics: a 15-7 win-loss record across 29 starts, a 3.50 ERA, and 171 strikeouts over 151.2 innings pitched. A standout period from May through June saw him achieve a 6-0 record with a 0.60 ERA over seven starts.