Jonathan Loaisiga to start for Yankees vs. Tigers on Wednesday
Yankees starting pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga works in the second inning of a spring training game against the Orioles on March 17 in Sarasota, Fla. Credit: AP/John Bazemore
Here’s the Lo-down on who is going to start for the Yankees against the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon: It will be righthander Jonathan Loaisiga.
Loaisiga will be added to the roster before the 4 p.m. finale of the Yankees’ opening homestand. CC Sabathia will be placed on the 10-day injured list after completing his five-game suspension for his part in a brawl with the Rays last September.
Manager Aaron Boone on Tuesday said Sabathia should be ready to join the rotation by mid-month. So that means Loaisiga will be competing with fellow young righthander Domingo German for the fifth starter spot once Sabathia is back.
Loaisiga, 24, broke into the majors with the Yankees last season, when he went 2-0 with a 5.11 ERA in nine games (four starts).
“I think last year, obviously, he caught everyone’s attention in spring training as not a guy that was on the big-league radar yet, but kind of leapt off the screen right away with just his bullpens and just the stuff and the delivery,” Boone said. “Obviously, coming up here, having a level of success for us, had to have given him some confidence. He’s really talented. This is a guy that has a chance to be a really good pitcher in this league. We believe that about him and I think he does, too. He knows if he goes out and throws the ball well, he’s capable of shutting down even good major-league lineups right now.”
The Yankees have similar feelings about German. The 26-year-old was the winning pitcher in Monday’s 3-1 victory over the Tigers. German was charged with one unearned run in five innings in his 30th big-league appearance (and 16th start) since debuting with the Yankees in 2017.
The Yankees also have veteran lefthander Gio Gonzalez, whom they signed to a minor-league contract on March 20. Gonzalez will start the season opener for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Buffalo on Thursday.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
