The 2024 MLB season has gotten off to a strong start for the New York Yankees. Despite opening the road with series against the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks, New York returned to the Bronx for their home opener on Friday afternoon with a 6-1 record.
They will have a chance to put some early distance between themselves and their AL East rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays, who they are hosting for a three-game set at Yankee Stadium over the weekend.
While the team is finding success on the field, it hasn’t all been positive for the Yankees recently. That is because their pitching staff has suffered a major blow with the loss of reliever, Jonathan Loaisiga.
The Yankees placed Loaisiga on the 60-day IL with a right flexor strain before their game against the Blue Jays on Friday afternoon. Loaisiga underwent an MRI on Thursday, which manager Aaron Boone said revealed a significant forearm strain.
Through the first week of the season, New York had one of the best bullpens in baseball with a collective ERA of 1.27, which was the fourth-lowest. Loaisiga was a major part of that as he had appeared in three out of the first seven games.
In his three appearances, Loaisiga threw four scoreless innings with three strikeouts and only one walk. In the team’s extra-inning victory over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Loisiga pitched a perfect ninth inning to keep the game tied heading into the 10th.
That, according to Boone, is when the injury occurred. “It was a couple pitches before he finished his outing the other day,” Boone said. “He at the time didn’t really think it was that big a deal. Finished that inning, said something and then after the game even getting with him, I don’t think he was too concerned about it. But obviously it is concerning, so we’ll see what we have now over the days and weeks and where we go from here.”
This unfortunately isn’t the first time that Loaisiga has dealt with arm troubles. Last season he appeared in only 17 games because of inflammation and bone spurs in his right elbow. In 2022, he was sidelined by inflammation in his right shoulder.
Taking Loaisiga’s place on the 25-man roster is Dennis Santana. The 27-year-old began his major league career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018. Last season, he appeared in nine games with the New York Mets, registering a 5.91 ERA in 10 ⅔ innings pitched.
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