Fernando Cruz just landed on the 15-day injured list for the Yankees, and man, that’s a tough blow for their bullpen. The right-handed reliever is dealing with right elbow discomfort, and you just know that’s never good news for a pitcher. It’s even worse when you remember his last outing: Cruz gave up two earned runs, including a game-tying home run to Jeremy Pena, in that brutal 9-7 loss against the Astros just last night. He could only find the zone for 11 of his 20 pitches, too. You gotta wonder if that performance, coupled with the elbow, sealed his fate for the IL.
Yankees Scramble with Pitching Staff Moves
With Cruz sidelined, the Yankees had to make some quick adjustments. They optioned right-handed reliever Bradley Hanner down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Then, they recalled right-hander Elmer Rodriguez from Triple-A, and guess what? He’s getting thrown straight into the fire, set to start tonight’s game! Talk about an immediate call-up with high stakes, right? On top of all that, reliever Kervin Castro was transferred to the 60-day injured list, further depleting their bullpen depth. It’s a real scramble for their pitching staff right now.
Michael Fulmer Arrives: A Former All-Star’s Shot at Redemption
But here’s the kicker, the move that really made heads turn: the Yankees went out and signed former All-Star and 2016 American League Rookie of the Year, Michael Fulmer, to a Major League contract. Fulmer, at 33 years old, isn’t quite the same dominant frontline starter he was back with the Detroit Tigers, where he even finished 10th in AL Cy Young Award voting his rookie year. He had a short stint with the Los Angeles Angels earlier, pitching 3.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and two hits allowed before they designated him for assignment. Still, grabbing a guy with that kind of pedigree, especially with the current bullpen woes? That’s a savvy move for some much-needed veteran depth. Can he find that old magic in pinstripes?
Tonight, all eyes are on Elmer Rodriguez as he steps up to the mound. It’s his chance to show what he’s got. And speaking of wild baseball stories, our own Mariners’ Cal Raleigh is making some bizarre MLB history. He’s apparently on track to hit the fewest home runs after a 60+ homer season in MLB history. Yeah, you read that right. What even is that stat? We’ll be keeping a close eye on how that develops for our guy in the Emerald City!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
Leave a Reply