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Yankees: Seven players fighting for a spot on the Opening Day roster this spring

By Mac Josephson

TORONTO, ON - JUNE 05: Clint Frazier #77 of the New York Yankees takes batting practice before the start of MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 5, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 05: Clint Frazier #77 of the New York Yankees takes batting practice before the start of MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 5, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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Yankees
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 05: Jonathan Loaisiga #43 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Minnesota Twins on October 5, 2019 in game two of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /

RHP Jonathan Loaisiga

According to GM Brian Cashman, Loaisiga is one of the five pitchers who will compete for the final spot in the starting rotation this spring. The 25-year-old right-hander came up through the minors as a starter but he’s struggled to carve out a spot in the rotation in eight career starts at the major league level (4.50 career ERA, 1.50 WHIP).

A lot of that can be attributed to his inability to stay healthy, but also because he hasn’t been able to pitch deep into games and put hitters away with two strikes. Loaisiga earned the reputation of a strike thrower before he made his debut in 2018, but in his small sample size of starts, he’s walked 15 batters in only 30 combined innings of work.

As a reliever, his numbers are actually a little bit worse with a 5.13 ERA and 13 walks in 26.1 IP.  However, he showed in spurts towards the end of last season that he has the stuff to thrive out of the pen with his fastball that can top out at 100 mph and a nasty curveball. He has a solid changeup as well so he has the three-pitch mix to succeed a starter, but too often he nibbles around the strike zone instead of attacking hitters with his best stuff. He also doesn’t have the typical frame of a big-league starter at 5’11, 165 lbs which could be part of the reason why he’s had a history of arm issues.

The Yankees are giving Loaisiga this opportunity to compete for a rotation spot, but he’s going to have a hard time beating out Montgomery and if that proves true I think it’s time to move him to the pen for good. If he makes that transition to a reliever he should make the Opening Day roster because he has the stuff to become a dominant weapon not only this season but for years to come.

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