Yankees abruptly end bullpen reclamation project with Jonathan Loaisiga roster move

This offseason, the New York Yankees didn't add lefty relievers until late, but the return of Tim Hill and the sneaky addition of former Braves playoff hero Tyler Matzek had fans intrigued. Sadly, Hill has struggled as of late, and Matzek is now gone.

The Yankees designated the veteran left-hander for assignment on Friday before the start of the Subway Series against the Mets in order to make room for Jonathan Loaisiga. That certainly makes the bullpen better, but there's still a lefty problem.

As for Loaisiga, he impressed during his rehab assignment, during which he logged 7 1/3 innings and allowed just one earned run on three hits and zero walks while striking out nine. That's a considerable showing from someone who has only pitched in 20 total games since the start of 2023.

Loaisiga underwent surgery in 2023 to remove bone chips from his elbow and then succumbed to internal brace UCL surgery last year. Given all the bullpen problems the Yankees experienced during their World Series run, Loaisiga's absence indeed loomed large.

The Yankees brought him back this offseason on a $5 million deal with a team option for 2026. Fans didn't feel great about it because of how unreliable Loaisiga is, but if he can return to his 2021 peak powers then the decision will look genius.

Yankees News: Tyler Matzek DFA'd to make room for Jonathan Loaisiga

Matzek, after struggling with injuries since 2022, failed to make an early impact with the Yanks. He allowed three earned runs on 11 hits and five walks in just 6 1/3 innings pitched this year. It's quite possible he returns to the Yankees and gets stashed at Triple-A, but he'll be exposed to waivers in the meantime and other team may want to take a chance.

Loaisiga returns just in time to potentially face the other team that was hot on his tail this offseason: the Mets. Reports suggested the two sides were in talks about a deal before the Yankees upped their offer to retain Loaisiga.

The goal is for Loaisiga to become a multi-inning high-leverage option and an elite bridge to Devin Williams/Luke Weaver. There's also a chance he gets save opportunities depending on who's available. He'll need a bit of time before that becomes a reality, but at least he's back early enough to shake some of the rust off.