New York Yankees reliever Jonathan Loaisiga has revealed that he will undergo surgery to repair a torn UCL, effectively ending his season. Loaisiga, 29, anticipates a recovery period of 10-12 months.
The discomfort in Loaisiga’s arm emerged towards the end of his flawless ninth inning performance against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Wednesday. Following an MRI on Thursday, it was confirmed that he would require surgery.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone explained on Friday that Loaisiga initially downplayed the issue during the game, but it became more concerning after the match.
This setback adds to Loaisiga’s injury history, as he spent much of the 2023 season sidelined due to arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow in May. He returned in August, making just 17 appearances for the season. Additionally, he faced time off in 2022 due to shoulder inflammation.
To fill the gap left by Loaisiga, the Yankees have called up right-hander Dennis Santana, 27, who previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. Santana has nine games of Major League experience and recorded a 5.91 ERA over 10⅔ innings last season.
Loaisiga’s injury adds to a growing list of absences for the Yankees, including Gerrit Cole (elbow) and DJ LeMahieu (foot), both of whom are on the injured list. Cole is not expected to return before June, while LeMahieu could potentially rejoin the team by the end of the month.
