The New York Yankees are in first place in the American League East at 30-19. The team currently holds a five-game lead in the division and has a real shot to pull away even further over the next week. Their next six games are against the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Angels, two teams near the bottom of the standings.
But they’ll have to do it without one of their top arms out of the bullpen: Fernando Cruz.
Yankees Announce Fernando Cruz Is Headed to the IL
Manager Aaron Boone announced the team is placing Cruz on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Cruz said he’s been dealing with shoulder pain for about two weeks, but it became unbearable during his last outing against the Mets.
He received a cortisone shot to relieve some of the discomfort.
The Yankees acquired Cruz in the offseason from the Cincinnati Reds in a trade that sent former All-Star catcher Jose Trevino to the Queen City. Cruz has been a key piece of New York’s bullpen this year, posting a 2.66 ERA and picking up a couple of saves.
Fernando Cruz heads to the IL. Brent Headrick has been recalled from Triple-A pic.twitter.com/mZPuanBb9f
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks)
His splitter has been one of the best in baseball, producing a run value of +14 over the past two seasons. Opponents are hitting just .155 against it, and it’s generated a 58% whiff rate. That pitch is a big reason Cruz has been able to thrive even without elite fastball velocity.
He’s also stepped up while Devin Williams has been in a bit of a slump to start the year. But Williams might be turning a corner — he hasn’t allowed an earned run over his last five innings, spanning six appearances. His velocity is still a tick down from peak form, but he’s starting to look like an All-Star again.
Luke Weaver has filled in as closer during Williams’ struggles and has run with the opportunity. He owns a 0.40 ERA with seven saves and looks like a strong All-Star candidate himself if he can keep this pace for another month.
Mark Leiter Jr. has quietly been another strong bullpen piece with a 2.61 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 20 innings. Expect him to take on more high-leverage situations while Cruz is out.
To fill the roster spot, the Yankees recalled Brent Headrick. The lefty appeared in a few games earlier this season without giving up a run. He has a 3.72 ERA at Triple-A (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders) and leans on a 93 mph fastball and slider combo. He’s also mixed in a splitter this year, mostly down in the zone to keep hitters guessing.