The New York Yankees are one of the best teams in baseball this season as they are currently 51-25 and in first place in the AL East. Their 51-25 record is the best in the MLB. One reason why they have been so good this year is the play of starting pitcher Luis Gil. Gil has been lights out on the hill for the Yankees this year as he has a 9-1 record, and his ERA is 2.03. One thing that helps Gil is a tattoo that he has on his neck.
Luis Gil's neck read ‘GOD BLESS ME' in big letters, and the tattoo holds a powerful message for Gil.
“It’s just a message for God to protect me,” Gil said, according to an article from The Athletic. “It’s a reminder in asking to be protected. I’ve been put in really good situations. … Ever since I could remember, I could see things shaping around me.”
Maybe that message helps Gil remain calm and confident on the mound. There is certainly something that is helping him as he is one of the best pitchers in the league. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has enjoyed watching Gil on this journey.
“It starts with the fastball,” Aaron Boone said. “It’s elite. It’s special. He can lean on it. … To see him hunger to get better and learn from everything that he’s gone through, build a really solid routine — that’s what’s been really satisfying about Luis.”
Marcus Stroman respects the neck tattoo
Marcus Stroman is another talented pitcher that the Yankees have, and he has even more tattoos than Luis Gil. Stroman respects the fact that Gil got a tattoo on his neck. It's not a very popular spot for one, but Stroman knows that someone that chooses to do that has a lot of confidence.
“I love someone who has the confidence to get a neck tat,” Stroman said. “I think a lot of people in society are like, ‘Oh, a neck tat, you can’t get a neck tat.’ But I just feel like that speaks to the confidence in someone because it’s always so frowned upon, I guess, in American society. I had those conceptions, too. But once you feel settled and confident with who you are as a person — I’ll tat my whole body. It doesn’t change anything besides outside opinions.”
Left fielder Alex Verdugo has the same opinion as Marcus Stroman when it comes to neck tattoos and confidence. He says that maybe he'll get one, but it sounds like his mom wouldn't be very happy about it.
“My mom doesn’t like tattoos much,” Verdugo said. “She’s already mad enough at the little tattoos that I have. … It takes a lot of confidence to get it on your neck. It’s a spot that I’ve avoided, but it works for him, right? I love it. Maybe I’ll get one on my neck.”
One thing is for certain: Luis Gil has a lot of confidence. From his tattoos to his pitching, it is something that he oozes. Gil is already one of the best pitchers in the league, and it is going to be exciting to watch him play for years to come.
