Yankees’ big Fernando Cruz hopes tottering, but Boone unperturbed

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When the New York Yankees swung the offseason trade sending catcher Jose Trevino to Cincinnati in exchange for Fernando Cruz, they envisioned acquiring a dominant middle-relief arm with swing-and-miss stuff. The hard-throwing right-hander, known for his devastating splitter, was pegged to be a critical piece bridging games to setup man Luke Weaver and newly acquired closer Devin Williams.

However, as spring training winds down and Opening Day looms, Cruz’s rocky exhibition performance—particularly highlighted by Wednesday night’s outing against Atlanta—has sparked genuine questions about his early-season role and reliability in clutch situations.

Cruz’s spring cruising raises red flags

The 34-year-old reliever currently sports an alarming 11.12 ERA through six Grapefruit League appearances, battling issues with command, hard contact, and defensive execution. During Wednesday’s 4-0 defeat to the Braves at Steinbrenner Field, Cruz mishandled a routine comeback grounder to begin his inning, then surrendered a two-run blast to Austin Riley on a poorly located fastball.

This marked Cruz’s third home run allowed in just 5⅔ spring innings—highlighting one of his most concerning tendencies: a propensity for yielding dangerous fly balls. Last season, Cruz posted the seventh-lowest ground-ball rate (34.6%) among all relievers who logged 60+ innings, a characteristic that could prove particularly problematic in Yankee Stadium’s right-handed power-friendly confines.

Compounding matters, Cruz followed Riley’s homer by walking Matt Olson on four straight pitches. His 12.9% walk rate in 2024 ranked third-highest among qualified relievers, underscoring a control issue that must improve before he can earn high-leverage assignments.

While Cruz did recover to strike out Bryan De La Cruz for his lone out of the evening, the overall performance left more uncertainty than clarity regarding his readiness.

Boone: “He’s going to be a real weapon”

Following the game, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone expressed continued faith in Cruz’s potential, focusing on positive elements amid the disappointing results.

“Even though tonight was rough in a way, I like, for the most part, how he was using the arsenal,” Boone said. “He doesn’t handle the easy play back to him to open the door. Not the right pitch choice probably with Riley there, but then he finished. You see how difficult that pitch [the splitter] is to hit.”

Boone emphasized that sharpening command, particularly early in counts, remains Cruz’s primary developmental focus.

“For him, it’s just tightening up the strike zone a little bit. If he does that, he’s going to be a real weapon,” Boone added. “Tonight was a little rough, but within it, you see him starting to make some better decisions, and I feel like that’s starting to happen his last couple.”

Cruz’s splitter—which generated an impressive 48.1% whiff rate last season—remains among baseball’s most unhittable offerings when properly executed. His 14.09 K/9 in 2024 ranked third among all MLB relievers, trailing only Félix Bautista and Aroldis Chapman. The strikeout potential remains undeniable—but so do the associated risks.

Roster decisions loom for revamped bullpen

The Yankees entered camp with a transformed relief corps anchored by Williams and bolstered by veterans including Weaver, Tim Hill, and Cruz. But with just one week remaining before heading north, bullpen roles remain fluid—and Cruz’s inconsistent spring has placed his status in question.

The organization remains hopeful that he is simply working through mechanical adjustments or fine-tuning his approach. Spring statistics often mask a pitcher’s true effectiveness, especially when experimenting with pitch sequencing or managing workload considerations.

Nevertheless, with the club aiming for a strong start in the competitive AL East, performance—even in March—carries weight in roster evaluations.

Cruz recorded a 4.86 ERA across 69 appearances with Cincinnati last season. While showcasing electric stuff, he battled inconsistency, frequently alternating between dominant outings and command-challenged appearances. That same pattern has emerged again this spring.

The path forward

As the Yankees finalize their Opening Day bullpen composition, they face a pivotal decision: embrace Cruz’s considerable upside while allowing adjustment time or prioritize early-season stability with more consistent options.

The pitcher still has opportunities—including one or two more scheduled spring appearances—to demonstrate he belongs on the initial roster. For now, Boone and the coaching staff remain committed to helping the veteran reliever find his rhythm before the regular season begins.

Whether Cruz breaks camp with the big-league club or continues refining his approach in Tampa, Boone’s message remains clear: the Yankees haven’t abandoned their belief in his potential.

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