New York Yankees right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz is facing a potentially season-ending decision. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Cruz has a partial tear of his right ulnar collateral ligament but is now awaiting a second opinion to determine if he will need to undergo Tommy John surgery. Cruz's last appearance was on Tuesday against the Houston Astros.
He gave up a two runs, a home run and a walk and did not strikeout any batters in one inning on the mound. A day later, the Yankees placed Cruz on the 15-day injured list. Cruz joined the Yankees' bullpen last season after New York acquired him and catcher Alex Jackson in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds in December 2024.
Last season, Cruz was sidelined for most of the summer with two separate injuries. First, he missed two weeks at the end of May with shoulder inflammation then missed two months with a left oblique strain from late June to August. Cruz has remained healthy this season up until suffering the partial tear in his UCL this month.
In a corresponding move, the Yankees signed right-handed reliever Michael Fulmer. Fulmer previously played for the Los Angeles Angels this season but was sent outright to Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday. Fulmer has played for seven organizations in the past two years but hopes New York will be a long-term home for him.
I’ve been around the whole country just trying to find a place to stick.”
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