Getty Yankees RHP Jonathan Loáisiga pitching against the Red Sox.
The New York Yankees returned home on Friday, April 5 for their home opener after a successful 6-1 start to their season on the road. However, they received some bad news regarding one of their young bullpen arms, RHP Jonathan Loáisiga, to start the day.
The Yankees posted from their X account, “Prior to today’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves: Placed RHP Jonathan Loáisiga on the 60-day injured list (retroactive to 4/4) with a right flexor strain.”
Loáisiga has appeared in three games this season, throwing 4 innings, 3 strikeouts and has not allowed a run. The 29-year-old was one of the returning bullpen arms that manager Aaron Boone was relying on play a significant role.
Prior to today’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
• Placed RHP Jonathan Loáisiga on the 60-day injured list (retroactive to 4/4) with a right flexor strain.
• Signed RHP Dennis Santana (#53) to a Major League contract and selected him to the active roster.
Boone spoke to media about when Loáisiga started feeling the discomfort, “It was a couple pitches before he finished his outing the other day. At the time he really didn’t think it was that big a deal.”
Even after the game it seemed Loáisiga and the Yankees were hopeful that it was minor. Boone went on to say, “Finished that inning, said something and then even after the game getting with him, I don’t think he was too concerned about it, but obviously it is concerning.
Loáisiga pitched a perfect inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks. MLB Yankee Reporter Bryan Hoch posted, “Jonathan Loaisiga had an MRI last night that revealed a “significant” forearm strain, Aaron Boone said.”
Loáisiga will be out until at least June as the Yankees will hope he will be able to return after the minimum stay on the IL.
Jonathan Loáisiga Has Dealt With Arm Issues Before
Unfortunately, this is not the first arm injury that the hard throwing righty has dealt with in his career.
ESPN writer Jorge Castillo covered the injury and wrote, “Loáisiga, a hard-throwing right-hander, dealt with arm trouble last season, appearing in just 17 games because of elbow inflammation and bone spurs in his elbow. He also missed time in 2022 with shoulder inflammation.”
Loáisiga signed with the Yankees as a 21-year-old after being released by the San Francisco Giants and made his debut in the Majors in 2018.
The young righty has been a staple in the Yankees bullpen since 2019 but took a major step in 2021 when he threw 70.2 innings pitched and had a 2.17 ERA. His electric fastball that can top out around 98-99 MPH has made him a critical component of the Yankees’ bullpen.
Castillo wrote, “It is a major blow for a bullpen with the fourth-lowest ERA (1.27) in the majors through the first week of the season.”
The bullpen was one of the question marks for the Yankees heading into the season so others will need to step up in his absence.
GM Brian Cashman May Need to Look for Other Options
The loss of Loáisiga leaves a hole in the bullpen as he was one of the veteran options Boone was counting on this season. General manager Brian Cashman has had a knack for finding relievers other teams have overlooked.
Cashman may start his search for other options after today’s performance from the bullpen in the home opener.
The Yankees posted, “Signed RHP Dennis Santana (#53) to a Major League contract and selected him to the active roster.” Santana was performing decently well before running out of gas in the ninth inning.
Santana’s final line was 1.2 innings, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk and 1 strikeout. Marcus Stroman’s brilliant start was wasted as the bullpen allowed 3 earned runs after Stroman’s exit in the 7th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays.