Injuries are starting to pile up for the New York Yankees, who were relatively healthy for the first few weeks of the season. First, it was right-hander Chad Green last week, who was lost to Tommy John surgery. Starter Luis Gil also went down with significant ligament damage in his elbow. Then, this week, Aroldis Chapman suffered an Achilles issue.
And now, the Yankees are reporting that reliever Jonathan Loaisiga, a key component of the 2021 successful team, has been placed on the 15-day injured list with shoulder discomfort.
It’s never good news when a pitcher complains about shoulder discomfort: it could be a two-week thing, or it could result in an extended absence. The Yankees won’t provide many details until they perform some tests and imaging on Lo’s shoulder, though, which should be within the next couple of days.
Loaisiga was having a nightmarish season, with a 7.02 ERA in 16.2 innings so far in 2022. His 1.56 WHIP is the perfect proof that something was wrong with him, as his command has been off all year. It’s unclear if the issue has been affecting him for a while or if it popped up this week.
Several arms needs to step up for the Yankees
Now that they are down Green, Chapman, and Loaisiga, the rest of the bullpen will need to step up for the Yankees. Clay Holmes (0.40 ERA) has been masterful, but guys like Lucas Luetge, Michael King, Clarke Schmidt, Wandy Peralta, and Miguel Castro will be relied upon heavily in upcoming weeks.
The Yankees should also reconsider their decision to use Domingo German as a starter when he is ready to return from his own shoulder injury. He has a better ERA as a reliever over the course of his career.
On Wednesday, the Yankees also announced that Joey Gallo is off the injured list and Giancarlo Stanton has been placed on it with a calf strain.