Fernando Cruz was dealing with shoulder issues and had imaging done, and while the Yankees didn’t detect any signs of deep concern, they will place him on the IL.
The Yankees had to piece together the final innings of yesterday’s win over the Rangers with a short-handed bullpen, as Aaron Boone went to lower-leverage arms to try and cover some critical innings. Boone had hinted at an injury earlier in the series, mentioning he wanted to avoid using certain arms in the bullpen after their win on Tuesday.
It seems to have been hinting at Cruz’s injury, as he experienced shoulder fatigue after his outing against the Mets and has since been kept out of games. He will throw catch today, but the Yankees will place him on the IL and give him time to rest and build back up before bringing him back into game action.
Yankees Recall Brent Headrick After Fernando Cruz’s Shoulder Injury
Fernando Cruz had been a breakout star for the Yankees’ bullpen, as he posted a 2.66 ERA and 2.49 FIP across 23.2 innings pitched.
With 35 strikeouts to just eight walks, his stuff has been remarkable, and the command has been a lot better than we’ve seen in his time with the Reds.
The right-hander had struggled with command in his outing against the Mets, where he surrendered the game-winning run in the top of the ninth on Saturday.
He felt a ‘snag’ in his shoulder during the outing, and the Yankees stayed away from him during this Rangers’ series as Cruz underwent imaging to determine the severity of his shoulder issues.
After imaging and MRIs, the Yankees concluded it wasn’t a serious issue, but they’ve decided to place him on the IL to give him rest and let him build back up.
In his place, Brent Headrick will come up and try to earn a spot on the roster after an impressive Spring Training and great start to his 2025 season.
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Brent Headrick made four outings with the Yankees when he made the team out of camp, striking out 47.4% of batters faced and not allowing a single run.
His fastball velocity is up from last season, sitting around 93-94 MPH with a heater that picks up tons of whiffs at the top of the zone.
The Yankees have helped him develop a splitter to pair with his slider, but he has relied heavily on a fastball that can overpower hitters.
He spent time on the IL after being demoted in mid-April, and since coming back, he has made five appearances with one run allowed and five strikeouts across five innings.
With rainy conditions, the Yankees and Rangers will try and get as much baseball in as possible in the Bronx as Carlos Rodon goes up against Nathan Eovaldi with New York looking for a sweep.