Yovanny Cruz has made quite an impression in his initial three games in the major leagues. He displayed impressive speed that seemed to give hitters a tough time, fitting well into the Yankees’ bullpen as a potential standout reliever. But after just those two appearances, he was sent back down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Cruz, who excelled on Tuesday with three strikeouts over two innings, was reassigned on Wednesday so he can refine his control and develop his splitter, according to manager Aaron Boone.
The 26-year-old right-hander hasn’t walked any batters in 4¹/₃ major league innings yet, but he has struggled with an average of 4.1 walks per nine innings in the minors.
In a recent matchup against the Tigers, Cruz showcased remarkable power with his four-seamer, clocking in at an impressive average of 161.1 mph. He also utilized his splitter effectively, achieving two whiffs out of five swings.
He threw seven splitters in that game, while at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he managed 18 splitters over 28¹/₃ innings.
“The splitter we saw the other day is somewhat new for him,” Boone remarked ahead of Friday’s 5-2 victory over the Twins. “We want him to keep working on that because if he can harness the splitter and throw strikes, it’s going to be quite exciting.”
Cruz was initially called up in May, putting in two innings against the Blue Jays without allowing any runs, allowing just one hit and earning three strikeouts.
Recently, the Yankees activated David Bednar from the paternity list, giving them other options like Jake Byrd, Camilo Doval, and Brent Headrick, but they chose to let go of a promising pitcher who they believe just needs more time to improve.
“We’re very encouraged,” Boone commented about Cruz, adding that they want him to continue honing his splitter.
Regarding the game lineup, the Yankees chose Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon, with Jose Caballero taking over at shortstop for Anthony Volpe.
Caballero has shown versatility, playing five games in left field, one in center, and one in right, plus four starts at third base in place of McMahon.
There’s a possibility Caballero spends more time at shortstop, but Boone mentioned he values his versatility and will keep utilizing that aspect. It seems Volpe will also get time at short, presenting an interesting dynamic for position assignments. Boone noted that although Caballero had only one start at shortstop over the last two weeks, he was expected to see more action, but some plans were altered due to illness.
“It’s been a few days since I’ve been here,” Boone reflected about the clubhouse adjustments. “He was playing shortstop, and a player would come up with something, so he would have to shift his lineup in real-time.”
Additionally, while McMahon and Grisham were selected, the Yankees opted to send Oswaldo Cabrera down. Following Friday’s game, they sent Spencer Jones back as well; despite playing well, he could see limited time with Grisham on board, making space for Brendan Beck to start on Saturday.
With Beck’s call-up, the Yankees also promoted left-handed prospect Kyle Carr from Double-A Somerset to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Carr pitched 66⅓ innings, striking out 83 with a 4.32 ERA.
