Fernando Cruz kept pushing toward an October return, but the Yankees have already shut that door.
The reliever, known for his big on-mound personality and his habit of looking skyward after innings, has been working as if he can still get back for the postseason despite a partial UCL tear. Cruz has thrown multiple touch and feel bullpen sessions this week, and he told reporters he refuses to “accept” that he has a UCL tear. He also said he is “100%” ruling out surgery.
That stance has not changed the Yankees’ decision. Cruz was transferred to the 60-Day IL as New York opened a 40-man roster spot for Alexander Cornielle, who was signed to a Major League contact and selected to the active roster.
The club also optioned Brendan Beck to the FCL Yankees. The move came prior to Game 2 of today’s doubleheader.
The timeline behind Cruz’s comeback push goes back to an August MRI, which revealed the partial tear and led manager Aaron Boone to acknowledge that Tommy John surgery was on the table. Cruz later sought a second opinion, got a cortisone shot, and kept believing he could pitch through it. In his view, the injury is inflammation, not a tear in his “heart.”
For now, the Yankees are moving on without him. And while his insistence won’t get him into a game this fall, it has added another layer to a bullpen situation that already looks shaky and shrinking. New York valued what Cornielle could offer over the longshot of Cruz being ready for October, even if the idea of Cruz somehow willing himself back onto the mound carried a certain undeniable charge.
There’s a stubborn, old-school edge to all of it. Foolish or not, Cruz has gone all-in on the idea that he can fight through this. The Yankees won’t be asking him to prove it in 2026.
In Other News...
Yankees Playoff Rotation Rumor Suddenly Feels A Lot More Real
With the AL Wild Card Series approaching, the Yankees are still sorting out how they want to open the round, and a new injury development on the other side has only added to the intrigue. Willson Contreras is reportedly doubtful because of a hand injury that has left him with significant inflammation, and while there is no fracture, his availability remains in question as the series nears.
Max Fried has surfaced as a possible Game 1 choice for New York, a move that would give the Yankees a left-handed look if Contreras is unavailable. It is still only a rumor at this point, not an official decision, but it has made the rotation chatter feel much more real with the postseason about to begin. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Doubleheader Moves Just Raised A Bigger Playoff Question
Brendan Becks latest turn in the Yankees rotation picture did not go as planned, and the club moved quickly after his start in Game 1 of the doubleheader. The rookie was charged with seven runs over five innings in a loss, then was optioned back to the minors with an 0-2 record and a 9.95 ERA in four games, a reminder of how thin the margin can be when a team is trying to patch together innings this late in the season.
In his place, the Yankees promoted Alexander Cornielle, a Triple-A arm who has not yet appeared in the majors, while Fernando Cruz was transferred to the 60-day injured list. It leaves New York juggling both the present and the near future, and it also raises a larger question about how much depth is really left to lean on if the rotation keeps getting tested. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Could Give Carlos Rodon A Surprising Postseason Role
The Yankees are already weighing a few October wrinkles, and Carlos Rodn might be one of the biggest. With the wild-card series limited to a three-starter format, Aaron Boone acknowledged that one of his best starters could be pushed into a bullpen role to help maximize his impact in a short series, a move that would be more about fit than routine.
Rodn has been paid to start, and the Yankees still view him that way, but the postseason often rewrites the usual script. Using him in relief would keep his arm in play for the wild-card round while also preserving the option of sending him back to the mound if the Yankees advance to a division series matchup with the Rays, a balancing act that could shape how Boone lines up the staff. [Read more 🡒]