Latest news with #JonathanLoaisiga
New York Post
17-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Jonathan Loáisiga excels in long-awaited Yankees return: ‘I was missing it'
The Yankees bullpen got deeper and more dangerous Friday, if slightly more injury-prone. Jonathan Loáisiga was activated off the injured list in time for the Subway Series in The Bronx, making it back 13 months after undergoing UCL surgery and throwing a scoreless sixth inning in a 6-2 win over the Mets. 'A lot of adrenaline. I was missing it,' Loáisiga said through an interpreter. 'I wanted to be out there, pitching for the team, pitching for the fans. I was really missing it and excited to be back.' Loáisiga needed just 12 pitches to record three outs, working around a double with a sinker that sat around 96-98 mph. 'The one thing I didn't want [was] the velo to tick up too much,' manager Aaron Boone said. 'Now that next step of, 'Boom, you haven't been out here for a year, you're in Yankee Stadium, it's Subway Series,' so there's just an energy in the building. I thought he did a really good job of controlling that and letting his stuff work. I thought he was really sharp.' Jonathan Loaisiga walks off the mound fter the sixth inning of the Yankees' 6-2 Subway Series-opening win over the Mets on May 16, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST The Yankees designated lefty reliever Tyler Matzek for assignment to make room for Loáisiga. They had liked what they saw from the veteran Matzek early in spring training, but upon returning from an oblique strain, he was not sharp in seven appearances. Loáisiga has been largely strong for the Yankees when healthy, posting a 2.98 ERA in 139 games from 2020-2024. The only problem has been staying off the injured list, which has been a struggle. He missed time in 2019 and 2021 with a shoulder strain and in 2022 with shoulder inflammation, had surgery in 2023 to remove a bone spur in his right elbow, then underwent UCL reconstruction with an internal brace in April of last year after making just three appearances. Jonathan Loaisiga made his long-awaited return for the Yankees in their win over the Mets. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS At his best, though, Loáisiga can be a righty killer with a high-90s sinker, providing more of a power look than the rest of the arms the Yankees currently have in their bullpen — a unit that entered Friday with an ERA of 3.47, good for ninth-best in the majors even with Devin Williams' inflated numbers. The Yankees had initially planned to have Loáisiga finish off his rehab assignment by throwing on back-to-back days this weekend at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but instead brought him back early because of how well he was throwing the ball and bouncing back. 'In the end, we decided he's pitched a lot. He's done everything we've needed him to do,' Boone said. 'He's had probably more than even a normal spring training as far as buildup, and it's just been so good. We feel like we should be able to protect him here in this first week, 10 days, two weeks. We can protect him when he pitches, having him down, things like that. So we'll be mindful of that. 'Just felt like what we've been looking at the last few months, it's been really good.'
Reuters
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Yankees activate RHP Jonathan Loaisiga after elbow procedure
May 16 - The New York Yankees activated right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga from the injured list Friday, while left-hander Tyler Matzek was designated for assignment. Loaisiga returns 13 months after an internal brace procedure on the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The 30-year-old made just three appearances last season and went 1-0 without allowing a run in four innings. In seven seasons with the Yankees, he is 19-11 with a 3.44 ERA in 163 appearances (11 starts). Matzek, 34, had a 4.26 ERA in seven relief appearances this season. In seven career seasons, he has gone 16-21 with a 3.73 ERA in 175 appearances (24 starts) for the Colorado Rockies (2014-15), Atlanta Braves (2020-22, 2024) and Yankees. New York also returned right-hander Clayton Beeter from his rehab assignment, reinstated him from the 15-day IL and optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees targeting May return for elite bullpen arm
The Yankees are keeping their fingers crossed for the return of one of their most electric bullpen arms, Jonathan Loaisiga, targeting a comeback in May or early June. The 30-year-old has dealt with a brutal run of injuries, but when he's on the mound, he's a difference-maker. The Yankees extended Jonathan on a one-year $5 million deal that includes a 2026 club option. It wasn't long ago that Loaisiga looked like the Yankees' next elite reliever. Back in 2021, he posted a dominant 2.17 ERA over 70.2 innings, generating a ridiculous 60.9% ground-ball rate. He kept home runs to an absolute minimum, allowing just 0.38 per nine innings, and issued few free passes. His sinker was a nightmare for hitters, inducing weak contact and setting up his secondary pitches with ease. Unfortunately, injuries have completely derailed his momentum. Over the past three seasons, he's thrown just 69.2 total innings, including a mere four last year. Shoulder problems have been a recurring issue, and last season's UCL tear in his right elbow required surgery—though it wasn't a full Tommy John procedure, meaning his recovery timeline is significantly shorter. Loaisiga is working his way back, but the Yankees aren't about to rush him. His health is more valuable in the long run, and the team is expected to ease him into action rather than throw him straight into high-leverage situations. Given how the Yankees' bullpen is already shaping up to be one of the best in baseball, they can afford to slow-play his return. That said, when he is ready, Loaisiga will almost certainly reclaim a significant role. His velocity hasn't fallen off, and his pitch mix—featuring a devastating sinker, cutter, and changeup—remains elite. If he can stay on the mound, he's the type of weapon that can transform a strong bullpen into an unstoppable one. Yankees: Good news and bad news from 6-3 win over Blue Jays WATCH: Yankees ace sparkles in first Spring Training outing of 2025 Yankees' $218 million addition to make Spring Training debut Monday Getting Loaisiga back in May, rather than later in the summer, would be a massive win for the Yankees. Injuries always crop up throughout the season, and having an impact arm like Loaisiga waiting in the wings could be the key to maintaining bullpen dominance. The Yankees know they're playing a risky game hoping for his resurgence, but if he returns even close to his 2021 form, they'll have another elite option in late-game situations. More must-reads: Yankees' 3rd base position battle just got more interesting Yankees: Good news and bad news from 6-3 win over Blue Jays
