The New York Yankees are holding their breath amid the recent medical diagnosis of Fernando Cruz.
Cruz pitched the 6th inning Tuesday in the Yankees’ 9-7 loss to the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. He was later seen leaving the team’s clubhouse with trainer Tim Lentych.
Cruz, who surrendered two runs to continue the right-hander’s recent spiral, assured reporters after the game that he was “feeling good” and simply dealing with some late-season fatigue.
Aaron Boone informed reporters the next day that Cruz was dealing with more than just fatigue. According to the Yankees manager, Cruz was diagnosed with a partial UCL tear, and Tommy John surgery is said to be “on the table” as a long-term solution.
Boone said Fernando Cruz has a partial tear of the UCL. Will get a second opinion. But Tommy John surgery is on the table.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 27, 2026
Cruz has been one of the Yankees’ most reliable bullpen arms this season, posting a 3.13 ERA across 61 games. But his effectiveness has waned over the past few weeks as the team has relied on him more and more during late-inning situations.
After allowing just 10 runs over his first 45 outings, the Puerto Rican has nearly matched that with nine runs across just his last 16 games.
