The New York Yankees have started shaping their offseason plans, and their early moves say a lot about where they stand.
On one hand, they exercised Tim Hill’s $3 million club option — a sensible decision for a left-handed specialist who proved durable and reliable throughout 2025. On the other hand, they declined Jonathan Loaisiga’s $5 million option (via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic), parting ways with a pitcher who once looked like a long-term bullpen cornerstone.
It’s a small move on paper, but it signals a larger trend. The Yankees are drawing a hard line between availability and potential, and Loaisiga’s latest season fell on the wrong side of that equation.
Loaisiga’s once-promising form slips away
Once upon a time, Loaisiga was one of the Yankees’ most electric bullpen arms. In 2021, he was dominant, a high-velocity righty capable of inducing ground balls at will and navigating tight spots with poise. But those days feel further away now than they should.
This past season, Loaisiga posted a 4.25 ERA over just 29.2 innings. His stuff still flashed — a 50.5% ground ball rate proves that — but the consistency just wasn’t there. The home run numbers told an even louder story. His 2.12 homers allowed per nine innings was a career high, and when coupled with his 3.03 walks per nine, it created too many uncomfortable outings for a team that can’t afford instability late in games.
At 31 years old, he’s no longer a developing project. He’s a veteran trying to prove durability, and that’s exactly where the Yankees seem to be losing patience.
The Yankees’ bullpen philosophy takes shape
Over the past few years, general manager Brian Cashman has made a habit of structuring bullpen contracts around short-term flexibility. One-year deals with club options have allowed the Yankees to minimize long-term risk while cycling through volatile relievers.
Loaisiga’s option fit that model, but his health track record didn’t justify the $5 million price tag. It’s not that the Yankees doubt his talent — it’s that they’ve lived through this cycle before. Too many bullpen pieces have burned them with recurring injuries, and those resources are better spent on arms they can count on to take the ball every few days.
Where the money could go next
By declining Loaisiga’s option, the Yankees save $5 million that can be redirected elsewhere — and that “elsewhere” matters. Names like Luke Weaver and Devin Williams are in play, both offering reliability in different forms. Weaver was a pleasant surprise in 2024, a swingman who ate innings and stabilized the pitching staff down the stretch. However, he was far more volatile in 2025, prompting some concerns. Williams, meanwhile, still possesses closer-level stuff despite some volatility of his own.
As for Hill, his $3 million return makes perfect sense. The 35-year-old lefty posted a 3.09 ERA over 67 innings in 2025, quietly becoming one of the most dependable bullpen arms on the roster. With so much uncertainty elsewhere, locking him in was a no-brainer.
The Yankees are clearly recalibrating their bullpen — not tearing it down, but tightening the margins. They’re betting on durability and control over name value and nostalgia.