It sounds as if the Yankees have found at least their first Michael King successor.
Jonathan Loaisiga said he has had discussions with the Yankees about pitching multiple innings in spurts built around a few days of rest, a job that King excelled in before transitioning to a starter (then being traded to the Padres).
Loaisiga, who made his Grapefruit League debut Thursday, said the plan for now will involve multi-inning appearances and no back-to-backs before reassessing for the second half.
“The second half, probably one inning, back-to-back days,” Loaisiga said through interpreter Marlon Abreu after a 7-0 loss to the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. “But [it’s an] ongoing dialogue.”
The Yankees were careful with King’s workload last season, never using him on consecutive days, in large part because King had suffered a fractured elbow in 2022.
It sounds as if they will follow the same type of plan with Loaisiga, who has logged just 65 ²/₃ innings over the past two seasons.
Last year, the righty missed four months after surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow, then was knocked out for the season in September with right elbow inflammation.
A season earlier, it was right shoulder inflammation that most plagued him. He also has a history of shoulder strains, which cost him significant time in 2019 and 2021.
The plan to keep the 29-year-old healthy appears to entail unrolling him slowly — waiting until now to pitch him in a spring game after being mostly relegated to simulated games and live batting practices — and to use him in the same, consistent type of role once the season arrives.
At his best, Loaisiga can be one of the best relievers in baseball, as his 2021 season (2.17 ERA in 57 games) demonstrated. Prompted with his 2021 campaign, Loaisiga said he hoped he could repeat it as long as he can remain on the field.
“Felt really good out there. This is the first time that I’ve seen opposing hitters from a different team since going back to September,” said Loaisiga, who allowed a run in 1 ²/₃ innings while averaging 98 mph with his sinker. “Feel good, feel healthy.
Luke Weaver, who could factor into the Yankees’ rotation plans in the wake of Gerrit Cole’s elbow injury, threw around 50 pitches in a simulated game after being scratched from a start Tuesday with a stiff neck.
He said he felt good and added his outlook on his role hasn’t changed since learning of Cole’s injury.
“I just come in, get the pitch count up and do whatever they need me to do and then be ready for whatever that looks like,’’ Weaver said. “I think it’s not a great place to be when you’re trying to manage it in your own head, knowing those decisions don’t come from you.”
The 30-year-old right-hander made three starts for the Yankees late last season after being selected off waivers from the Mariners.
Aaron Boone announced the tentative list of notable position players who would head to Mexico for the March 24-25 trip that leads into the season.
Juan Soto, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, Jose Trevino and Alex Verdugo will be in Mexico, Boone said, adding LeMahieu in particular was excited about it.
The Yankees reassigned lefty Oddanier Mosqueda to minor league camp.