Gil getting nod for spot start Thursday

The Yankees made it through the first month of the season using just five starting pitchers, thanks to good health and good results.

The schedule will catch up to them Thursday, when they will use Luis Gil to start the series opener at the White Sox while in the midst of a stretch of 23 games in 22 days.

Clarke Schmidt was not an option because he was only sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on May 1 and MLB rules dictate players must stay down for 15 days before being recalled without an injured list stint on the major league roster.

Gil, a right-hander, is already on the 40-man roster and the Yankees like the experience he gained in the major leagues last summer.

After a rough start to the season at Triple-A, Gil had his best outing of the year in his most recent start, allowing two runs in five innings, while striking out nine and not walking a batter.

Prior to that game, Gil had struggled with his command and been mostly ineffective.

“The talent is obviously there,’’ manager Aaron Boone said prior to the Yankees’ 6-5 victory over the Blue Jays at the Stadium on Tuesday night. “When he came up last year, he pitched well for us and we saw him pitch important games for us.

“We feel like he’s the guy to go to in this moment.’’

➤ Joey Gallo, finally showing some signs of life at the plate, was out of the lineup for a second time in three days Tuesday. Boone said the left fielder was “a little stiff.”

Gallo pinch-hit for Kyle Higashioka with one out in the seventh and sent a long foul ball into the second deck in right before walking against Adam Cimber. Gallo then exited the game in the eighth.

The outfielder is still feeling the effects of the groin tightness that cost him time after he left a game at Kansas City on April 30.

Boone said Gallo would likely be back in the lineup Wednesday.

➤ After Josh Donaldson and DJ LeMahieu both failed to run out ground balls Monday, Boone was asked if he spoke to the veteran players, since he hadn’t done so immediately after the game.

“We handled that stuff,’’ Boone said. “I definitely think it was a little bit overblown.”

Donaldson didn’t run on a grounder hit to Corey Seager in the sixth inning and was thrown out even after the shortstop bobbled the ball. LeMahieu later jogged to first in the eighth, before the Yankees scored the lone run of the game.

Both players were back in the lineup Wednesday.