Diamondbacks signing former Yankees setup man Jonathan Loáisiga to minor league deal

The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to sign relief pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, ESPN’s Jorge Castillo first reported on Tuesday.

Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported that Loaisiga could fill a back-end role and potentially earn a bridge closer spot if he throws well in spring training.

Loaisiga has spent the past eight seasons with the New York Yankees, pitching to a 3.17 ERA with eight saves from 2020-25.

He is a ground ball specialist (55% career rate) with an upper-90s mph sinker and changeup that drew a 36% whiff rate in 2025, according to Statcast.

With solid results and dynamic stuff, the catch for Loaisiga has been staying healthy.

The right-hander has only pitched 51.1 innings over the past three seasons, as he underwent an internal brace procedure for his elbow in April 2024 and was not activated until May 2025. He then missed nearly two months at the end of last season with mid back tightness.

He has returned to the mound this winter, pitching in Nicaragua’s baseball league.

Jonathan Loaisiga is so filthy; spin a breaking ball for a strike and rip 97 running in the opposite direction later in the at-bat for a K.

Having him back is a HUGE deal. pic.twitter.com/WKWHcEpTF0

— Ryan Garcia (@RyanGarciaESM) May 19, 2025

Loaisiga provides a high-ceiling, low-floor but low-risk option who will compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster and potentially for a high-leverage role in the vein of Shelby Miller last season.

“ I think he’s got great stuff,” general manager Mike Hazen said. “We’ve always liked him from afar. He is gonna go into the mix and there’s gonna be opportunity in our pen. … We should be a very attractive place for players to come in and compete. We have a number of good young arms, but there is still a couple spots in our pen that are not established.”

The Diamondbacks have yet to sign a reliever to a major league contract this winter, nor have they traded for bullpen help. The club has focused on this area of the market all offseason after having to use 17 pitchers to record saves in 2025, the most in MLB history.

Arizona has had a busy few days, taking star second baseman Ketel Marte off the trade market on Friday, dealing outfielder Jake McCarthy to the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, trading for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado on Tuesday and now signing Loaisiga to boost the bullpen.

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