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The New York Yankees are dealing with another major concern in their bullpen as reliever Jonathan Loaisiga has been sidelined again—this time with elbow and triceps soreness reported during his rehab assignment. Already navigating a tight playoff race, New York may now be forced to adjust its late-season relief plans.
The Loaisiga injury update arrived on Tuesday, when MLB's Bryan Hoch revealed the right-hander experienced discomfort and was sent for diagnostic imaging during his rehab with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Hoch posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) and noted that the 30-year-old pitcher had been experiencing shoulder tightness during his rehab assignment.
“Jonathan Loaisiga is experiencing soreness in his right elbow/triceps. Sent for testing, according to Aaron Boone.”
Loaisiga had only just begun his rehab stint on August 17 after being placed on the 15-day injured list earlier in the month due to mid-back stiffness. He pitched a scoreless outing before discomfort shut things down. With his rehab now paused pending results, the Yankees bullpen depth may be tested yet again.
When healthy, the reliever has proven to be one of the most effective arms in the organization. He made his debut with New York in 2018 and played a key role during the 2021 season, posting a 2.17 ERA across 57 games. But his career has been frequently interrupted by injury, including a UCL reconstruction in 2024 that cost him the full season.
In 2025, Loaisiga has appeared in 27 games with a 4.67 ERA before being shut down in August. While those numbers aren’t dominant, his experience and high-leverage capability make him valuable in a bullpen that has already weathered setbacks. If he's forced to miss more time, the Pinstripes will likely need to lean further on younger arms and possibly call up reinforcements—moves that may depend on the outcome of his medical imaging.
The Yankees playoff hopes are on shaky ground as they enter the final stretch of the season. Since June 25, New York has posted a 22-23 record, a noticeable drop from their strong 31-20 start earlier in the year. As of Tuesday, the club sits five games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East standings and is tied with the Boston Red Sox for second place. With such a tight race, every late-inning arm becomes even more critical.
Given Loaisiga’s injury history and the proximity of the soreness to his previous surgery site, the situation is being treated with extreme caution. The injury update will ultimately determine whether the Yankees bullpen depth can withstand another blow in what is shaping up to be a critical September stretch.
