Yankees place Fernando Cruz on IL, add Michael Fulmer with bullpen in desperate shape

As reporters waited for Fernando Cruz after the Yankees ' loss to the Astros on Tuesday, the struggling reliever exited the Bombers' clubhouse with team trainer Tim Lentych. Aaron Boone waited for the duo at the back of the room, and Cruz then debriefed with a club spokesperson immediately before telling reporters that he felt healthy.

"Yeah, I'm feeling good," the right-hander said Tuesday night. "I mean, every player has the battles with their bodies and stuff, but we're gonna be good."

And yet, after the atypical postgame scene the night before , it wasn't surprising to see Cruz placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort before Wednesday's game against Houston .

The Yankees made several other moves before the game, adding newly-signed reliever Michael Fulmer to the active roster; recalling the evening's starting pitcher, Elmer Rodríguez; and optioning reliever Bradley Hanner. Kervin Castro , another reliever, was also transferred to the 60-day IL.

On Wednesday afternoon, Boone said that Cruz had gone through testing and imaging since Tuesday night. While the Yankees were still waiting on results, the team's training staff felt it was necessary to place Cruz on the IL, the manager said. Boone added that Cruz felt something on one of his pitches on Tuesday and alerted staffers.

Cruz, whose signature splitter has seen a drop-off in swing-and-miss, owns a 5.93 ERA and has allowed five home runs over his last 13.2 innings. That includes the game-tying, two-run shot he surrendered to Jeremy Peña on Tuesday.

Afterward, Cruz, who has also suffered a dip in velocity this season, said that he altered his mechanics a bit recently. He also downplayed the idea that fatigue has been an issue for a pitcher who has already surpassed his 2025 workload. With 54.2 innings pitched, Cruz has topped his total from a season ago. His 61 appearances, meanwhile, ranked 12th in the majors entering play on Wednesday.

(Brent Headrick's 68 games ranked second, highlighting just how much the Yankees have leaned on their top relievers.)

Cruz set career-highs with 69 games and 66.2 innings as a Red in 2024, but he didn't complain about his usage on Tuesday.

"I cannot control how many times I've been [used]," he said. "I'm just the guy that grabs the ball whenever it's needed, and I just go out there and compete."

On Wednesday, Boone didn't want to speculate whether Cruz's mechanical tweaks led to his IL stint, but he did say that fatigue is "always a factor" this time of year.

The Yankees, who did not acquire bullpen help of any kind , let alone the high-leverage variety, before the trade deadline, will have to hope that Cruz can get healthy and return to form before season's end. Prior to his scuffles, he had been the team's fireman, posting a 2.08 ERA over his first 34.2 innings this season.

In the meantime, the Yankees will have to rely on a few journeyman relievers, including Fulmer and Justin Topa , who was also signed recently. Boone said that they could find themselves in leverage situations with the Yankees' bullpen desperate and short on sure things.

"They're probably going to jump in the deep end," the skipper said.

Fulmer, who beat out ex-Yankee Gary Sánchez for the American League Rookie of the Year Award back in 2016, was recently designated for assignment by the Angels. He has a small recent big league sample, as he's only thrown 9.1 innings in The Show over the last two seasons. That includes 3.2 scoreless innings with the Angels this year.

The 33-year-old righty has had success in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League this season, recording a 2.93 ERA over 43 frames.

"Hopefully, he can come here and grab a role," Boone said. "There's opportunity there."

Fulmer said that the Yankees were the first team to reach out once he cleared waivers. He initially signed a minor league deal with them and planned on going to Triple-A on Tuesday night, but the team called about an hour after the ink dried and said that they needed him in the Bronx right away. A layover at LaGuardia — he was originally going to meet the RailRiders in Worcester, Massachusetts — ended up being his final destination, and he was dressed in full pinstripes just in time for the Yankees' photo day on Wednesday.

"I'm grateful to be with such a historic organization and grateful to be here right now," Fulmer said. "They said they were short in the bullpen a little bit and asked if I was ready to go tonight, and I said, 'Absolutely.'"

Fulmer, a starting pitcher at the onset of his career, noted that the Yankees are his seventh organization in the last two years. He and his wife have talked about retirement since Fulmer underwent his second Tommy John surgery in 2023, but his recent good health has motivated him to keep going.

Now the former Mets prospect is looking to lock down that role that Boone spoke of.

"I told [my wife] I couldn't live with myself feeling this healthy and throwing the ball this well to give up quite yet," Fulmer said. "So hopefully this is an opportunity for something in the long run. I'm just gonna compete my butt off."

Fulmer is not the only pitcher on the fringes trying to secure a spot in the Yankees' bullpen.

Again, there's Topa, and veteran Eli Morgan was also recently signed to a minor league deal.

Angel Chivilli (bone spur) entered the fourth day of his throwing program on Wednesday and can still be an option this season, Boone said. There is also Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery), who is ready to begin a rehab assignment soon , and Luis Gil (shoulder), who has been at Triple-A. Both have been big league starters but are building up as relievers.

"He has a real chance to be a real factor for us in the pen," Boone said of Schmidt.

As for Gil, Boone said, "It seems like his build-up has gone well. I feel like his strike-throwing's well. The outings I've seen, it looks like the fastball is playing. So we've been encouraged with what we've seen so far."

The Yankees could also get Ryan Weathers back from a flexor strain before season's end; the southpaw would also slot into the bullpen. Meanwhile, Max Fried could be back in the Yankees' rotation this weekend if his bullpen session goes well on Thursday.

"We've definitely had some attrition here and gotten dinged a little bit on the injury front, but I feel like we're still very much in line to be really good at the very end when it matters the most, and even now down the stretch," Boone said. "So there's a couple spots semi-up for grabs now with some guys going down and some opportunities created, but hopefully we get Max back here on the weekend, and hopefully a couple guys can step up in bullpen roles to fortify that group that's obviously been so good for us all year."

One pitcher who no longer appears to be an option for the Yankees is Castro, who has been out with elbow neuritis. He has an upcoming appointment with Dr. Keith Meister, and surgery could be a possibility, Boone said.