Getty

Aaron Boone looks on from the dugout.

The New York Yankees will be without breakout reliever Fernando Cruz for the next couple of weeks, the team’s official X account announced.

Here is what manager Aaron Boone had to say yesterday on Cruz:

“He’s dealing with some shoulder stuff, so he hasn’t been available last couple days. Hopefully we’re getting through it… He got some [imaging], but nothing significant,” Boone said .

It’s a tough blow not only for the Yankees’ bullpen but for the 35-year-old Cruz, who was enjoying a breakout campaign in his first year in the Bronx. Pitching coach Matt Blake has been praised for his wizardry in taking lesser-known pitchers and developing them into stars.

Cruz appears to be Blake’s latest diamond in the rough.

Cruz’s Career Resurgance

The Puerto Rico native made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 and had two-and-a-half decent years of work there. Over 141 appearances and 147 and 1/3 innings, he had a 4.52 ERA, a 3.06 FIP, and 228 strikeouts to 72 walks.

While respectable numbers, Cruz has now turned into one of the more dominant arms in a bullpen filled with dominant arms. Blake and the rest of the coaching staff have emphasized heavy splitter usage (57% of his pitches). The pitch has looked unhittable.

Spearheaded by that devastating splitter, Cruz has a 2.66 ERA, a 2.49 FIP, and 35 strikeouts to 8 walks over 23 and 2/3 innings. Fortunately, according to YES Network’s Meredith Marakovits , Cruz is not expected to miss too much time:

“Fernando Cruz said he felt a little pull in his trap the other day which prompted him to get checked out. MRI showed no structural damage in shoulder etc. Just inflammation. Had a cortisone shot… will play catch today,” Marakovits wrote.

Yankees Bullpen Outlook

While any period without Cruz is a hindrance, New York still boasts a combined bullpen ERA of 3.38, good for ninth in the Majors. It’s been a group effort, and no Cruz hurts, but there are still plenty of trustworthy high-leverage options at Boone’s disposal.

Luke Weaver, who assumed closer duties last year after the Clay Holmes debacle, has a 0.42 ERA, a 1.88 FIP, six saves, and an unflappable demeanor perfect for the pressure-filled Bronx.

Lanky southpaw Tim Hill (3.80 ERA, 4.53 FIP), Mark Leiter Jr. (2.75 ERA, 1.81 FIP), and long-reliever-turned-starter Ryan Yarbrough (3.38 ERA, 4.51 FIP) have also been excellent.

Perhaps the biggest bullpen concern early on was the inexplicably poor start by Devin Williams, an all-world closer with the Milwaukee Brewers who lost that job to Weaver.

But, for all of the Williams skeptics, this is a supremely talented reliever who has allowed just three runs (all earned against the San Diego Padres on May 5) over his last 11 outings. He could still assume save responsibilities this summer, but it seems like he is better suited as a setup man. Plus, there is no reason to mess with Weaver’s flow.

The bullpen has been a focal point of these Yankees teams of late, and surprisingly elite arms like Cruz are a big reason for that success. Hopefully for New York, his injured list is a short one, and he can rejoin the team sometime in June.

Sam Bernardi is a sports journalist covering Major League Baseball for Heavy Sports. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan. More about Sam Bernardi