The backend of the Yankees bullpen took another big blow on Sunday.
Jonathan Loaisiga, who has been the Yankees’ most reliable high-leverage arm this season, was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a strained rotator cuff. The right-hander will not throw for at least 10 days, but manager Aaron Boone said he is “hopeful” Loaisiga will be able to return before the season is over.
“Obviously that’s a tough loss for us, which hopefully is only a couple weeks, but still something we’ll have to navigate,” Boone said.
Loaisiga, after pitching 1 ¹/₃ innings Friday night against the Orioles and giving up a home run, came in Saturday morning feeling “a little sore,” according to Boone. The Yankees sent him for an MRI that revealed the strain and he later received a cortisone shot.
The 26-year-old Loaisiga has thrown 68 innings this season, recording a 2.25 ERA with five saves and 18 holds. He had provided a steady late-inning option in a season in which Aroldis Chapman has often been shaky and Zack Britton has been a regular on the IL (and is now undergoing season-ending elbow surgery).
Jonathan Loaisiga Robert Sabo“It’s been a challenge this year with the amount of close games we’ve played, but hopefully this is something that is a little bit of a timeout and we get him back for the stretch drive,” Boone said.
Loaisiga also missed three months in 2019 with a right shoulder strain.
