BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – APRIL 29: A view of the New York Yankees logo on a ball bag before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 29, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
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The New York Yankees have seen their offseason dominated by familiar faces, but fans will have to get used to the roster without one long-time member.
As spring training approaches, the Yankees’ most significant roster decisions this winter have been returns for outfielders Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger. That has raised the likelihood that the team essentially runs it back next season with its incumbent stars and without any major new additions.
New York Yankees Cut Ties With Long-Tenured Veteran
But the Yankees will be without eight-year veteran Jonathan Loaisiga, who joined the Arizona Diamondbacks organization earlier this offseason.
“The Yankees’ longest-tenured pitcher is headed to the desert for 2026,” according to the New York Post’s Mark Suleymanov. “Right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga, who has been with the Yankees’ organization since 2016, agreed to a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks… Loaisiga, who made his MLB debut in 2018, was the Yankees’ third-longest serving player besides Aaron Judge (2017) and Giancarlo Stanton (2018).”
At times, Loaisiga seemed like a key member of the Yankees alongside those other long-tenured stars, but injuries continuously interrupted his career. His best season came in 2021, when he maintained a 2.17 ERA across 57 games for the Yankees. But he has been unable to log 30 innings or more in any of the last three seasons.
New York Yankees Veteran Jonathan Loaisiga Breaks Silence On Leaving
The Yankees decided to move on from Loaisiga after this past season when they declined a club option on his contract. And now that he is moving on from the Bronx Bombers, the pitcher offered a farewell.
“Saying goodbye to the New York Yankees means closing a very important chapter in my life, filled with challenges, growth, and moments I will carry with me forever,” Loaisiga wrote, per Fireside Yankees. “First of all, I want to thank the Yankees fans for all the support they gave me.”
Loaisiga’s farewell post also included a message for the front office and staff that decided to give up on him earlier this winter.
“Thank you to everyone in the front office, to each of my coaches throughout the minor leagues and the major leagues, to the medical staff, especially Tim and Alfonso, the clubhouse staff, and security, and to everyone who was part of my process and my growth as a Yankee,” Loaisiga added.
So, even though he’s headed across the country to try and recapture his health, it seems the long-time pitcher isn’t holding any grudges against the Yankees executives who decided to cut ties with him.