The Yankees’ bullpen suffered a blow before their series-opener in Toronto on Monday, as Fernando Cruz returned to the injured list with a left oblique strain.
The move is retroactive to June 28 and marks Cruz’s second stint on the IL this season. He previously missed time in late May and early June with right shoulder inflammation.
Aaron Boone said that Cruz sustained his latest injury while using a medicine ball on Sunday, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Cruz underwent an MRI on Monday and was awaiting word on the severity of his strain.
Acquired from the Reds over the winter, Cruz has been a high-leverage arm for the Yankees in his first year with the club. Armed with a deadly splitter, he has a 3.00 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 33 innings. Despite having already spent some time on the shelf, he was still sixth among relievers in strikeouts entering play on Monday.
His 41.2 K% led all arms with a minimum of 30 innings pitched.
With Cruz sidelined, the Yankees designated infielder CJ Alexander, a member of the 40-man roster, for assignment. That cleared a spot on the active roster for Geoff Hartlieb.
A non-roster invitee in spring training, Hartlieb had 3.34 ERA over 35 innings at Triple-A. The 31-year-old righty has pitched in 64 big league games for the Pirates, Mets, Marlins and Rockies.
Hartlieb owned a 7.37 ERA for his career prior to his promotion to the Yankees.
Alexander, meanwhile, was claimed off waivers from the A’s on June 8. He was hitting .196 with no extra-base hits over 13 games for the Bombers’ Triple-A affiliate.
Cruz wasn’t the Yankees’ only injury reveal on Monday, as Boone said that Austin Wells has been undergoing tests for a circulatory issue in one of his left fingers, per The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. Tests ruled out any blood clots, and Wells is expected back in the lineup on Wednesday.
Wells did not play Sunday and was out of Monday’s lineup. Boone planned on J.C. Escarra catching until Wednesday.
Wells has been struggling at the plate lately, hitting .150 with just one extra-base hit, a double, over his last 12 games. He has 11 home runs and 45 RBI overall this season, but he’s hit just .214 with a .699 OPS and a 91 wRC+.
