SCOTTSDALE — Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Jonathan Loaisiga said he had several minor league offers as a free agent this winter and even a major league deal on the table.
Loaisiga, a 31-year-old right-hander who spent the previous eight years with the New York Yankees, saw Arizona as an ideal fit, even on a minors deal, as somewhere he could compete for a leverage role and for a postseason spot.
The veteran is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut on Saturday at the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe.
“I heard really good things across the board,” Loaisiga said last week via Spanish interpreter. “Everything from the weather, the climate really suit me well. I heard good things about the coaching staff, the medical staff. I think it’ll be a good fit for me. It’s a young team, talented team, and hope I can help them out.”
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“I had a lot of minor league offers and actually one major league offer, but I wasn’t quite happy with the city itself,” he added.
Loaisiga laughed that he is from Nicaragua, one of the hottest countries in the Western Hemisphere, so he said the heat won’t bother him in Arizona.
As for his role, Loaisiga is among the most experienced high-leverage arms competing in camp for a spot in the bullpen. He only has eight career saves but 71.2 innings in save situations with a 2.51 ERA.
He throws hard with a sinker that can really move, doesn’t strike out as many batters as you’d think with quality stuff but draws way more ground balls than the average pitcher (55% for his career, MLB average is 42%). He described himself as an aggressive pitcher who leans on his sinker and attacks the zone.
“Definitely, that’s what I like,” Loaisiga said when asked about pitching in high leverage. “I come from a team that’s put me in those high leverage situations, so hopefully I get the opportunity to do that here as well.”
Health has been the main question with him since 2021, as he’s thrown 51.1 innings over the past three years. His last appearance for New York was on Aug. 1 before back tightness ended his season, but he returned to the mound in winter ball.
“I’ve been working out since September. I was able to also pitch in the offseason in my country, so I haven’t felt anything as of right now and I’m in good shape,” he said.
The Diamondbacks have not named a closer or established roles, although there is a familiar group with Paul Sewald, Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson who will be considered for the back end. Getting through camp healthy comes first and foremost for Loaisiga before he can work his way into a late-inning slot.
Loaisiga has thrown two live batting practice sessions on the backfields at this point, and manager Torey Lovullo assured his next outing will be in a game setting.
“He’s got good stuff. He’s got a nice track record, and we’re going to take a good, hard look at him,” Lovullo said. “Where it ends up, I don’t know. I just want guys to get the baseball and execute and then we’ll see where it takes us.”
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