Baseball seasons are long, but comebacks often start quietly—sometimes on a Triple-A mound, two innings at a time.
For the New York Yankees, the long-awaited return of Jonathan Loaisiga could soon become a reality, and just in time.
The bullpen has flipped the script after a rocky start
What began as a shaky start for the Yankees’ bullpen has quickly morphed into a dominant, cohesive unit over the past few weeks.
Their 3.31 ERA is climbing the ranks across Major League Baseball, and that number has steadily improved with each series.
Even with Devin Williams struggling, the relief corps has found rhythm through a combination of role clarity, execution, and timely dominance.
Key contributors have stepped up, and the group is now on the verge of adding another electric piece to the puzzle.
Loaisiga’s return could give the bullpen another level
Jonathan Loaisiga hasn’t been a reliable fixture in the bullpen for a few seasons, thanks to a string of nagging injuries.
He’s pitched just 21.2 innings combined since the start of 2023—but when healthy, his upside is undeniable.
Back in 2021, Loaisiga posted a 2.17 ERA over 70.2 innings, establishing himself as one of the most trusted high-leverage arms in baseball.
He brings elite movement, pinpoint command, and a fearless mindset that made him a go-to option in critical late-game moments.
Rehabbing and ramping up for a mid-May return
The Yankees are targeting May 18 as the date Loaisiga could return to the major league roster, assuming no setbacks during his rehab assignment.
He looked sharp on Wednesday in Triple-A, striking out two batters across two scoreless innings with encouraging velocity and movement.
Jonathan Loáisiga struck out 2 in 2 innings of scoreless relief for Scranton pic.twitter.com/ktY0xzYXMg
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 7, 2025
If he continues trending in the right direction, his return won’t just be symbolic—it could significantly impact late-inning strategy.
Loaisiga has signed a one-year, $5 million deal with a club option for 2026, signaling the Yankees’ belief in his long-term value.
Reinforcements come at the perfect time
As the season moves toward its grind-heavy middle stretch, bullpen depth becomes more important than ever.
Adding someone with Loaisiga’s ceiling is the type of move that pays off in September and October—not just in May.
The Yankees are already managing workloads and battling minor injuries throughout the roster, so another experienced arm provides flexibility and relief.
If Loaisiga can stay healthy and regain even a shadow of his 2021 form, the Yankees will suddenly have one of the most dangerous pens in the league.
The final piece to a rising bullpen puzzle?
The Yankees don’t need Loaisiga to be perfect—they just need him to be available, competitive, and consistent.
He’s shown flashes of that over his rehab work, and if the team’s instincts are right, fans may soon see that old dominance resurface.
With their bullpen already ascending, this could be the spark that cements them as one of baseball’s best relief groups.
Popular Reading:
The Yankees’ sleeping dragon just woke up—and it could change everything
!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(“has-featured-video”,”true”)})}();var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({“div”:”Brid_2115672″,”obj”:{“id”:”30505″,”width”:”1280″,”height”:”720″,”stickyDirection”:”below”,”video”:”2115672″,”poster”:”https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/plugins/tpd-addons/blocks/featured-video/src/img/1×1-white.png”}});https://player.target-video.com/player/build/targetvideo.min.js