WHY LUIS GIL’S HEALTH IS THE BIGGEST STORY AT YANKEES CAMP TODAY
Luis Gil is hitting 96 MPH again! Discover why the Yankees are optimistic about a 2026 rebound after his 2025 injury struggles.
The Yankees couldn’t have been thrilled with Luis Gil last season, no matter how shiny his ERA looked. His strikeouts dropped, his walks shot up, and he just didn’t look like the same guy. Watching one of the hardest-throwing starters in the game suddenly mix in 92-93 MPH fastballs in 2024, yeah, that felt desperate. He was just trying to find the strike zone any way he could.
It all started with that late injury in the middle of spring training. He sat out until after the All-Star Break, then got thrown right into the chaos of the AL East race. Not exactly ideal.
But this year? Things feel different. Gil got through the offseason healthy, and people around the Yankees seem genuinely optimistic about him. Early bullpen sessions have him sitting 94-96 MPH, and that’s the kind of news that makes you think he could actually get back to his old self in what’s shaping up to be a huge year for him.
Last year, Gil opened the season firing 96 MPH four-seamers, but by the end, the heat faded. Over his final six starts, his fastball averaged 94.9 MPH, and his FIP ballooned to 5.10. The ERA hid a lot of cracks. The Yankees clearly noticed too; they turned to Cam Schlittler in a Wild Card game instead of Gil. When his fastball loses that zip, Gil becomes way too hittable. But lately, he’s been back in that 94-96 MPH range during live bullpens, and that’s a real positive sign for his health heading into 2025.
Velocity does more than just light up the radar gun. It gives his four-seamer that extra ride, makes his whole pitch mix tougher to read, and keeps hitters off balance. Last year, Gil’s fastball whiff rate dropped from 28.5% to 18.8%, and hitters started crushing him more often; his xwOBA jumped from .315 to .360. More contact, more damage. That kind of slide tanked his strikeout rate by 10%, and every start looked like a grind.
If Gil’s fastball is truly back, the rest of his arsenal opens up. His slider and changeup work better, and suddenly, that Yankees super-rotation they’ve been chasing doesn’t sound so far-fetched. Adding Max Fried was supposed to give them an elite one-two punch with Gerrit Cole, but Fried missed the whole year with Tommy John.
Gil, meanwhile, slipped from a dependable middle-of-the-rotation guy to a shaky backend starter with command issues serious enough to put the whole bullpen at risk. Getting him healthy would change everything. It’d push guys like Will Warren and Ryan Weathers down the depth chart and give the Yankees some real firepower in the rotation.
There’s a clear link between fastball velocity and run prevention. If Gil can keep his heater where it was back in 2024, the rest should fall into place. A bounce-back year isn’t just possible; it’s right there for the taking.
MILLION DOLLAR BET: LOGAN PAUL’S OPEN CHALLENGE TO THE NFL BACKFIRES AS BELL ACCEPTS
Logan Paul is ducking: Read about Le’Veon Bell’s $1M challenge, Tom Brady’s "cute" insult, and the Pittsburgh Draft fight rumours.
A former NFL star just called out Logan Paul, saying he’s dodging their $1 million fight.
So here’s what’s been going on: Logan Paul, who’s held the WWE United States Championship, got into it with NFL legend Tom Brady. Brady kicked things off by saying pro wrestling is “cute” and throwing shade at Paul’s athleticism compared to NFL players.
Logan didn’t let that slide. He fired back, claiming 99% of NFL players would fall apart if they tried wrestling in WWE, and then flipped the script by calling football "cute". Things really heated up when Brady straight-up called him a b*tch, and Logan decided to up the ante.
On his IMPAULSIVE podcast, Logan claimed no football player could beat him in a boxing match. He even put $1 million on the line, daring any NFL player to prove him wrong. A bunch of NFL guys jumped in, but Le’Veon Bell, a former Steelers star and a pro boxer himself, really took the bait.
Bell challenged Logan to fight in Pittsburgh during the 2026 NFL draft. He didn’t hold back, posting, “STOP DUCKING, @LoganPaul. Bro’s trying to fight an NFL player that’s never fought before. Let’s set it up; we all heard you say you can beat any NFL player. We can fight in April; the NFL draft is in PITTSBURGH. Let’s make it happen.”
Logan fired back. He pointed out that Bell isn’t in the NFL anymore, and since Bell actually knows how to fight, Logan said he’d need serious training time, which means stepping away from WWE, something he’s not willing to do. Plus, Logan claimed the fight isn’t worth it because Bell doesn’t draw a big crowd. “You’re not in the NFL. You can actually fight, so I’d have to properly train and step away from WWE (which I’m not doing, especially not for you). There’s no money here because you’re not a draw. Prove me wrong. Of course, you want the opportunity. I’m a goldmine for retirees like you. But gg,” Logan replied.
Bell wasn’t having it. He accused Logan of ducking out, saying Logan’s only interested in fighting NFL players with zero boxing experience. “THIS MF A (duck emoji) bro said, 'You can actually fight,' so he’s telling everyone he wants to fight someone who he feels can’t fight. That’s what we call DUCKING,” Bell shot back.
THIRD FASTEST EVER? HOW DID JAYSON TATUM BEAT KEVIN DURANT’S RECOVERY BY 254 DAYS?
Jayson Tatum is back: Read about his 298-day Achilles recovery, the 15-minute limit, and why the Celtics are now title favourites.
Jayson Tatum sat at the Auerbach Center, listening to questions from reporters during Celtics media day, looking like he was itching to get back on the court.
The Celtics’ star forward is finally on the verge of returning after tearing his Achilles less than 300 days ago, but don’t expect to see him logging big minutes right away. Reports say Boston plans to be extra cautious. Brett Siegel from ClutchPoints even said he’d be surprised if Tatum plays more than 10 to 15 minutes per game at first.
Tatum’s officially listed as questionable for Friday’s home game against the Mavericks. If he suits up, it'll be a huge boost for Boston, and honestly, a bit of a shock, considering how long other players have been out with the same injury. Just look at Dejounte Murray; he had to wait nearly 100 days longer than Tatum before coming back, and the Pelicans have limited him to 25 minutes a night since.
At the start of the season, most people figured Tatum would sit out the whole year. That’s what usually happens with Achilles injuries; guys like Durant, Klay, and DeMarcus Cousins all missed at least a year. Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton, who tore their Achilles in last year’s playoffs too, were ruled out for the entire season.
But then whispers started. Suddenly, Tatum was practising with the G League’s Maine Celtics, then joining full scrimmages with the big club. The rumours got louder, and now, here we are. If he does play Friday, he’ll have pulled off the third-fastest return from an Achilles tear in recent NBA history; only Kobe Bryant and Chauncey Billups came back quicker.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Kobe Bryant: 240 days
Chauncey Billups: 296 days
Jayson Tatum: 298 days
DeMarcus Cousins: 357 days
Kevin Durant: 552 days
Of course, Boston isn’t taking any chances. Tatum had to hit every checkpoint – conditioning, weight, you name it – before they’d let him suit up. And by all accounts, he looks good. Derrick White said Tatum has been moving well and playing like his old self in practice. You can see how hard he’s worked to get to this point.
The Celtics are 41-21 and already one of the league’s best, but Tatum’s return suddenly makes them the favourites to win the East and push for another Finals trip. Oddsmakers have noticed, too. Thomas Gable at Borgata said Tatum’s comeback could give Boston’s title odds another bump, and David Lieberman at Caesars pointed out that bettors have already started to back the Celtics with his return in mind.
So, yeah, Boston fans have a lot to be excited about. Tatum’s almost back, and the Celtics’ championship hopes just got a whole lot brighter.
