Cruz’s Yankees career turns around after one transformative talk

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Reliever Fernando Cruz overcame his spring turbulence to shine for the Yankees following a transformative conversation.

NEW YORK — When Fernando Cruz arrived in the Bronx this offseason, expectations for the 35-year-old right-hander were modest. Acquired in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds, he was seen as solid bullpen depth for a New York Yankees team loaded with middle relief options like Ian Hamilton, Tim Hill, and Mark Leiter Jr.

While much of the attention this spring was on All-Star closer Devin Williams, who came over from the Milwaukee Brewers, and Luke Weaver, fresh off a dominant playoff run, Cruz was simply looking to fit in. But after a shaky start in Spring Training, few could have predicted that he would become one of the Yankees’ most reliable arms by April end.

Spring struggles raise questions

Cruz entered camp eager to impress what he repeatedly called his “dream team,” but found himself floundering instead. His spring numbers told a concerning story – nine runs surrendered in just over six innings – leaving coaches wondering if the veteran reliever could recapture his dominant form.

Concerns quickly surfaced about whether Cruz could deliver the same strikeout-heavy performances that marked his time in Cincinnati, where he fanned 109 batters in just 66.2 innings in 2024.

“I actually did not worry about the numbers, because I was doing a lot of changes at the same time,” Cruz said, reflecting on the difficult stretch. “Everything we worked on in Spring Training for six weeks, it’s paying off. Thank God I took those six weeks to work on my craft for the first time.”

Despite Cruz’s track record as one of baseball’s premier strikeout artists since 2024, the Yankees coaching staff watched with mounting concern as their new acquisition struggled to locate pitches with consistency. As questions grew, bullpen coach Mike Harkey decided it was time for a heart-to-heart.

A pivotal conversation

The exchange with Harkey became Cruz’s turning point.

“I was trying too hard,” Cruz admitted. “[Harkey] told me, ‘Hey, you just need to stick with yourself, because you have a great arm. You just need to stay calm and stay within yourself.'”

Harkey identified a critical flaw in Cruz’s approach. The veteran was overexerting on virtually every pitch, sacrificing control for maximum velocity.

“Everything was max effort, falling off the rubber,” Harkey explained. “So we just tried to take a little bit off the delivery and get him to not feel like he had to throw the ball 100 miles an hour every time.”

This adjustment – finding a balance between power and precision – sparked Cruz’s transformation.

Cruz’s splitter: The ‘gift from God’

At the heart of Cruz’s success lies a pitch that has baffled hitters — his splitter. With a 55.6% whiff rate as of late April, per Michael Salfino of The Athletic, the pitch is drawing comparisons to some of the game’s all-time great off-speed offerings.

“I’ve never seen so many bad swings in my life from good hitters, looking like they’ve never swung,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “It’s unbelievable.”

Teammates have been just as amazed. “It doesn’t even make sense,” shortstop Anthony Volpe remarked. Carlos Rodon dubbed it a “glitch pitch.”

Even Harkey weighed in on its uniqueness, likening it to Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman’s legendary changeup.

“The arm speed he puts on it, he’s got a lot of deception and it’s got a lot of movement on it,” the Yankees bullpen coach explained. “It’s almost like Trevor Hoffman-like, where he’s got a 10- or 12-mph difference between that and his best fastball.”

Refining the Arsenal

While Cruz’s splitter garners the headlines, the Yankees coaching staff saw room to elevate his game further. Pitching coach Matt Blake encouraged him to drop his cutter, a pitch that hitters fared well against in 2024, and instead focus on a two-seam fastball while sharpening his slider.

The changes didn’t immediately show results in the spring, but Cruz remained patient. Boone echoed that sentiment: “We knew what we were getting and who we were getting, but we hadn’t been around him yet. We were confident that he was working on some different things.”

Now, the work is paying dividends.

A dominant start in pinstripes

Cruz has emerged as one of the Yankees’ most dominant relievers. Through 11 appearances, he’s pitched 13 innings, posting a 2.08 ERA and racking up 21 strikeouts — a staggering 42% strikeout rate.

He has surrendered runs in just one outing, while striking out an impressive 14.25 K/9 IP rate. His contributions include two critical saves against the Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Rays.

After his most recent appearance, Cruz ranked among the American League’s elite relievers in multiple strikeout categories – confirming that the mechanical refinements and psychological reset from that crucial Spring Training conversation have produced substantial results.

Left-handed hitters, often a challenge for righty relievers, are just 2-for-18 against Cruz, with nine strikeouts. This makes him an invaluable weapon for Boone in any situation, regardless of the batting order.

His two saves, including key outings against the Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Rays, have further solidified his place in high-leverage moments.

“Helping my team, helping my dream team to win games in key situations, it’s just a dream come true,” Cruz said. “Everything is just a dream to me. I’m really grateful, really content, and really happy for what’s happening with me.”

More than a key piece for the Yankees’ bullpen

Cruz’s rise isn’t just about numbers. It’s about a player who battled for years in the minors, often overlooked, now making a significant impact on one of baseball’s most storied franchises.

With Devin Williams struggling and the Yankees exploring options for stabilizing their bullpen, Cruz has positioned himself for an even larger role. His ability to miss bats, manage pressure, and dominate both left- and right-handed hitters makes him a vital asset for a team with championship hopes.

As May unfolds, Fernando Cruz’s journey from a shaky spring to bullpen cornerstone stands as one of the most compelling narratives for the New York Yankees. His transformation, sparked by a single conversation and driven by relentless refinement, is proof that experience, paired with the right guidance, can unlock greatness — even at 35.

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