Jonathan Loaisiga out for months in Yankees injury blow
Jonathan Loaisiga is already back on the injured list and may not be coming back any time soon.
The Yankees reliever landed on the 60-day IL on Friday morning with what Aaron Boone described as a “significant forearm strain” — the team officially labeled it a right flexor strain — after making three appearances in the first week of the season.
Dennis Santana was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre ahead of Friday’s home opener against the Blue Jays.
After feeling something in his elbow in his last appearance on Wednesday in Arizona, Loaisiga underwent an MRI exam on Thursday night and was set to meet with doctors on Friday to determine the next steps.
“Obviously, it is concerning,” Boone said before the Yankees’ 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays. “We’ll see what we have now over the days and weeks and where we go from here.”
Loaisiga has been one of the Yankees’ top bullpen arms in recent years, but he has not been able to stay healthy.
He missed time last year with two IL stints for elbow inflammation, including one that required surgery in May to remove bone spurs from his elbow.
The 29-year-old Loaisiga, a free agent after this season, also has missed time with shoulder troubles.
The Yankees had planned this season to use Loaisiga in more of a multi-inning role with multiple days built in between each outing, which was aimed at helping him stay healthy.
He threw two innings on Opening Day last Thursday, then one inning on Sunday and one inning on Wednesday — all of them scoreless.
Without Loaisiga, the Yankees may have to lean more on the likes of Ian Hamilton (who has thrived in the multi-inning role so far), Caleb Ferguson and Nick Burdi as setup men before getting the ball to Clay Holmes.
They also have three potential setup men already on the injured list in Tommy Kahnle (shoulder), Scott Effross (Tommy John rehab/back surgery) and Lou Trivino (Tommy John rehab).
Kahnle was recently slowed in his progression after not bouncing back well from a live batting practice session.
Effross and Trivino are both on the 60-day IL and not expected back until at least June.
Jon Berti got the start at third base Friday over Oswaldo Cabrera against left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. Boone said it would not be a straight platoon between the two, despite Cabrera mostly batting left-handed these days and Berti batting from the right side.
Berti hit for himself in the seventh inning against right-handed reliever Trevor Richards, as did the right-handed hitting Jose Trevino against Richards in the eighth.
Boone said he did not consider pinch-hitting for either of them.
“Not with Richards,” Boone said of the reliever with reverse splits.
Burdi has impressed the Yankees with his stuff but on Friday, he was not able to harness it.
He relieved Santana in a 1-0 game in the ninth inning with runners on first and second and one out.
He quickly walked the first two batters he faced and threw a pair of wild pitches, which allowed the Blue Jays to extend their lead to 3-0.
“Those pitches weren’t as competitive as I’d like them to be, but it was more so letting guys down,” Burdi said. “Santana had a great day. It’s part of the game. Disappointing day with the way [Marcus] Stroman threw the way he did.”
The Yankees agreed to a minor league deal with veteran infielder Rougned Odor, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported.
The 30-year-old Odor, whose contract includes an opt-out after July 1, spent the 2021 season with the Yankees.
— Additional reporting by Dan Martin