Arizona agrees to contract with former Yankee reliever
The The Arizona Diamondbacks know they will have to put up a lot of effort to compete in the NL West. In an effort to bolster their bullpen, the Diamondbacks turned to former New York Yankees standouts in free agency.
Arizona signed right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, via ESPN’s Jorge Castillo. The terms of his deal are not yet known.
Loaisiga appeared in 3o games for the Yankees in 2025, posting a 4.25 ERA and a 25/10 K/BB ratio. The right-hander spent his entire eight-year MLB career in New York, appearing in a total of 193 games. He has a lifetime 3.54 ERA and a 232/82 K/BB ratio.
Arizona will hope Loaisiga returns to his form in 2021. He appeared in a career-high 57 games that season, posting a career-best 2.17 ERA and a 69/16 K/BB ratio. While the 2026 season will mark half a decade since that performance, the Diamondbacks aren’t risking much by signing him to a minor league deal.
While the franchise has intriguing options in its bullpen, two of them are currently injured. Having Justin Martinez and AJ Puk on the shelf only exacerbated Arizona’s need for help. Loaisiga won’t turn the Diamondbacks into world-beaters overnight, but he could be a key difference-maker down the stretch.
The Diamondbacks are exploring all avenues to improve their roster. They recently acquired third baseman Nolan Arenado in a trade with St. Louis Cardinals. That deal could overshadow Loaisiga’s signing with the team. But Arizona hopes both players will help bring them closer to success.
2026-01-13 18:14:00
