It’s officially MLB hot-stove season, and the New York Yankees‘ off-season is officially off to a good start.
New York decided to pick up left-handed reliever Tim Hill’s club option for 2026, which will pay the side-winding pitcher $3 million, and did not activate Jonathan Loaisiga’s club option, which would have been worth $5 million.
By not picking up Loaisiga’s option, the hard-throwing right-hander’s tenure with the club is over. The oft-injured reliever made just 50 appearances over the past three seasons and finished with a 19-12 record and 3.54 ERA in 249 1/3 innings over 193 appearances in eight seasons.
Hill, who of course joined the Yankees in 2024 after being placed on waivers by the Chicago White Sox, is 7-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 111 innings since coming to New York.
Tim Hill Has Become An Invaluable Member Of The Yankees’ Bullpen
Hill was one of the few incumbents to remain on the Yankees roster after the trade deadline, and the lefty earned his role as a high-leverage reliever by inducing ground balls and retiring tough left-handed hitters.
Hill’s 63.7 ground-ball rate led all Yankees pitchers, both starters and relievers, and lefties had just a .444 OPS against him this season. He also has been elite in the playoffs, boasting a 1-0 record, 0.79 ERA, 0.88 WHIP in 11 2/3 innings over 13 postseason appearances.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman loaded up the team’s bullpen at the deadline, acquiring Jake Bird, Camilo Doval and closer David Bednar. But they are right-handers, leaving Hill and Brent Headrick as the only lefty relievers — especially since starter/reliever Ryan Yarbrough was injured for much of the second half.
Hill’s role would be tough to fill, especially at the extremely reasonable rate of $3 million.
Jonthan Loaisiga Is Easily Replaceable
Loaisiga was once an impact arm coming out of the Yankees bullpen. In 2021, he went 9-4 with five saves and a 2.17 ERA in 70 2/3 innings, in a career high 57 appearances, while helping the Yankees qualify for the AL Wild Card Game against the Boston Red Sox that year.
But a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness has made the soon-to-be 32-year-old a non-essential member of the Yankees pen. He had Tommy John surgery in 2024 then had his 2025 season cut short due to a flexor strain in his pitching elbow — he missed the first two months of the year with mid-back tightness then did not pitch from Aug. 1 on due to the elbow injury.
When he did pitch in 2025, Loaisiga went 0-1 with a 4.25 ERA and one save with a 1.48 WHIP and allowed 2.1 home runs per nine innings in his 29 2/3 innings.
Loaisiga’s struggles were a big reason why Cashman went shopping for relief pitchers at the deadline, since the Yankees needed to shore up their bullpen for the postseason.
Bird finished the year at Triple-A after struggling in the majors, but he, Bednar and Doval are under team control through this season.
So with the Yankees trying to save money to either retain outfielder Cody Bellinger or sign outfielder Kyle Tucker, not paying Loaisiga $5 million was an essential move, especially since he had been passed among trusted arms by Aaron Boone and the Yankees decision makers.
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