Yankees reliever gets ‘realistic’ injury timeline

Finally, the New York Yankees are receiving some positive news on the injury front. Following right-handed starter Clarke Schmidt’s productive rehab outing in Double-A — no runs allowed and seven strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings– the team has another encouraging update to share regarding its pitching staff.

“Jonathan Loaisiga (rehab from surgery) tossed a bullpen today with Double-A Somerset,” MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reported. “Loaisiga’s target of a late May/early June return to MLB is realistic, {manager} Aaron Boone said.”

The back end of the Yankees bullpen is set with Devin Williams and Luke Weaver leading the way, but Loaisiga can further stabilize the unit. He possesses the experience and ability to effectively bridge the gap between the more inconsistent relievers and most reliable ones.

Yankees might need at least one more trusty arm in their pen

The 30-year-old righty recorded a terrific 2.17 ERA in 57 appearances during the 2021 season, giving New York the hope that he could could serve a pivotal role in the pen for the foreseeable future. Loaisiga struggled the next year, though, and then began to endure a variety of injuries. He has registered only 21 2/3 innings of work since the 2023 campaign, with his most recent setback coming in the form of elbow surgery last April.

While the Nicaragua native might not ever stay on the mound long enough to operate as a bullpen mainstay, he could still add crucial value to the Yankees during the second half of the season. The defending American League pennant winners are one of the best offenses in baseball through their first seven games, a trend that will ideally allow them to weather an injury storm that engulfed Gerrit Cole and currently has Luis Gil, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu and Jonathan Loaisiga all firmly in its grasp.

The main objective now is navigating these obstacles well enough to stay in the playoff picture. Then, when Loaisiga and the others return, the Yankees hope they will have the necessary artillery to contend for a championship. Both the club and its veteran pitcher have ways to go before such an ambition can possibly come to pass, however.