Yankees' Loáisiga pitches scoreless inning in return, 13 months after reconstructive elbow surgery

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga made his first major league appearance in 13 months, pitching a scoreless inning against the New York Mets on Friday night in his return from reconstructive elbow surgery.

Entering with a five-run lead, Loáisiga allowed Brandon Nimmo's one-out double in the sixth, then retired Starling Marte on a groundout and Francisco Alvarez on a flyout.

“A lot of adrenaline,” Loáisiga said through a translator after the Yankees' 6-2 win. “I was missing it. I wanted to be out there, pitch for the team, pitch for the fans.”

L:oáisiga made his first big league appearance since April 3 last year. He said the surgery performed by Dr. Keith Meister that April 12 was a reconstruction with an internal brace.

Loáisiga was activated from the 15-day injured list and left-hander Tyler Matzek was designated for assignment.

A 30-year-old reliever, Loáisiga had a 1.23 ERA in six minor league rehab appearances from April 26 through Tuesday, striking out seven and walking none in 3 1/3 innings.

Loáisiga threw 12 pitches against the Mets, including 11 sinkers that averaged 94.1 mph.

“The one thing is I didn’t want, the velo to tick up too much,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “You haven’t been out here for a year, you’re in Yankee Stadium and it’s Subway Series, so there’s just an energy in the building, I thought he did a really good job of controlling that and just let his stuff work. I thought he was really sharp.”

Loáisiga made three relief appearances during the first seven days of the 2024 season, then went on the injured list because of a strained right flexor muscle. Loáisiga was limited to 17 games in 2023 by right elbow inflammation that sidelined him from the Yankees between April 5 and Aug. 8.

He entered 19-11 with a 3.44 ERA in 11 starts and 152 relief appearances over seven seasons, striking out 207 and walking 72 in 219 2/3 innings.

“I won’t be afraid to put Lo in any situation,” Boone said.

Boone said ace Gerrit Cole shouldn't necessarily be expected back in a similar timeframe from Tommy John surgery on March 11. In addition to differences in the tears, Cole is a starter while Loáisiga is a reliever.

“They're all different,” Boone said. “I think they're all case by case.”

New York also activated right-hander Clayton Beeter from the 15-day IL after he recovered from right shoulder impingement and optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

In addition, the Yankees traded left-hander Rob Zastryzny to Milwaukee for cash. He spent last season with the Brewers, was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs in November and elected to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment. He signed a minor league contract with the Yankees in February.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. moving forward in recovery

Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. took grounders before the game and did so flip throws. He has been sidelined since straining his right oblique on April 29.

“He is doing really well and seems to be tolerating everything well,” Boone said. “Even for having a high level of strain in there he was fairly asymptomatic really from jump."

Oswaldo Cabrera return this year unlikely

Oswaldo Cabrera also had ligament damage repaired when he had surgery on his left ankle, broken during an awkward slide Monday night at Seattle.

Boone said a return this season was probably unlikely.

“We probably won’t know until a week, 10 days in to where we get the doctor’s protocols and then the ramp-up as you go,” he said. “It was a little more involved in there.”

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