Even after Jonathan Loaisiga’s meltdown Tuesday night against Kansas City, he has put together an exceptional first half of 2021. Meanwhile, calls from Yankees fans to get him to Denver for the 2021 All-Star Game have increased in volume in recent weeks. Through 39.1 innings in 2021, Loaisiga has pitched to a 2.52 ERA (inflated by Tuesday’s shellacking) and compiled 1.1 fWAR in fewer than 40 innings.
Loaisiga has done all of it by keeping the ball in the park and inducing grounders at career-best rates, even while striking out fewer batters than ever. Baseball Reference’s Katie Sharp also tweeted that he also has 12 scoreless relief outings of at least four outs recorded, tied for the most in baseball.