The New York Yankees are finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel with their bullpen.
After battling through a rocky first few weeks of the season, the Yankees are poised to get one of their most talented relief arms back — and it couldn’t come at a better time.
Jonathan Loaisiga working his way back to the majors
Jonathan Loaisiga, the hard-throwing 30-year-old right-hander, officially began a minor league rehab assignment on April 26 with Class-A Tampa.
According to manager Aaron Boone, the plan is for Loaisiga to ramp up slowly, eventually pitching on back-to-back days to ensure there are no setbacks.
His next outing is scheduled for Wednesday, April 30, and if all goes smoothly, the Yankees are expected to promote him to Double-A or Triple-A within the next week.
The Yankees are proceeding cautiously — but the excitement is hard to ignore.
What a healthy Loaisiga could mean for the Yankees’ bullpen
Loaisiga signed a one-year, $5 million deal this past offseason, with a club option for 2026 that could become incredibly valuable if he returns to form.
Fans may have forgotten just how dominant he can be when healthy.
In 2021, Loaisiga was one of the best relievers in baseball, posting a sparkling 2.17 ERA over 70.2 innings and emerging as a trusted high-leverage weapon. Even in limited action last year, he tossed four scoreless innings before another injury shut him down.
The Yankees haven’t seen Loaisiga pitch over 20 innings since 2022, but the reports are promising — his velocity is right where it needs to be, and there’s cautious optimism that his body will finally hold up.
Why the Yankees desperately need Loaisiga back
The bullpen has been serviceable but inconsistent. While Luke Weaver has stepped up brilliantly in the closer role following Devin Williams’ struggles, the Yankees know that deep playoff runs are built on elite relief pitching — and depth matters just as much as talent.
Adding Loaisiga back into the mix would allow Boone to shorten games even further and protect arms from overuse as the season grinds on.
Think of it like adding a turbo boost to a sports car that’s already speeding — the Yankees don’t just want to survive late innings; they want to dominate them.
What’s next for Loaisiga and the bullpen?
If Loaisiga checks all the boxes during his rehab appearances and stays healthy, the Yankees could have him back sometime in mid-to-late May.
It’s been a long, frustrating road for one of their most electric arms, but if everything falls into place, Loaisiga might end up being the midseason reinforcement that pushes the Yankees’ bullpen over the top when it matters most.