The New York Yankees must keep the Injured List in check this year. In 2023, several key players were on the IL, and it made things difficult for the NY side. First of all, the 27-time champions missed the playoffs once again. The last time they could not make the postseason was back in 2016. Moreover, last year, the Bronx Bombers had the second-worst batting average in the league behind the Oakland Athletics. Subsequently, they finished fourth in the American League East division. The 82-80 record has been a tremendous shame for the Pinstripes.
Since then, they have made some significant changes in the offseason. Moreover, their goal was to boost the offense and the outfield. That’s exactly what the Yankees were successfully able to do. However, to reinforce their offense, the NY side had to sacrifice a lot of their pitching depth. Hence, during the 2024 season, the Bronx Bombers might feel a bit weak if there is any injury scare to a bullpen arm. That’s precisely what happened lately, as Jonathan Loaisiga is back on the Injured List.
Big Blow For The Yankees As Jonathan Loaisiga Is Out For Months With Injury
According to Greg Joyce of The New York Post, on Friday morning, Jonathan Loaisiga landed on the IL once again. He is on the 60-day IL with a strain in his right flexor. But the reliever made only three appearances in the first week of the 2024 season. As per The Post, Loaisiga will be out for at least the month of June. In recent years, the reliever has been one of the top bullpen arms of the NY Yankees. However, Jonathan has been pretty injury-prone since he started wearing the Pinstripe uniform. In 2023, Loaisiga missed a lot of game time with a couple of stints on the Injured List. He suffered an elbow inflammation back then.
Moreover, he had to undergo surgery in May so that the doctors could remove bone spurs from his elbow. But Loaisiga is just 29 years old. He will be a free agent after the 2024 season. Adding to his injury problems, Jonathan’s shoulder has not been much of a help for him either. Anyway, the NY Yankees had plans to use the reliever in a multi-inning role, with multiple days scheduled between each game. However, last Thursday, Loaisiga pitched two innings on Opening Day. Then, he threw one inning each on Sunday and Wednesday. He performed more or less okay.
Ian Hamilton Might Replace Loaisiga
The three appearances Jonathan Loaisiga made in the season-opening road trip of the Yankees saw him perform moderately. In the four innings Loaisiga pitched, he did not allow any run. However, Jonathan did give away seven hits and a walk. Moreover, he had three strikeouts.
Anyway, in the absence of Jonathan Loaisiga, Aaron Boone might have to look at other top bullpen arms. For instance, Ian Hamilton may get the chance to play the role that the Yankees wanted Jonathan to play initially. There might be other options for the setup man, like Nick Burdi and Caleb Ferguson. They will pitch before they pass the ball to Clay Holmes.
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