Yankees' Fernando Cruz lands on IL again after suffering injury with medicine ball: ‘Pretty painful'

New York Post

a day ago

TORONTO — For the second time this season, Fernando Cruz is back on the injured list.
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The first stint only cost him the minimum 15 days, but the Yankees were left holding their breath Monday on the result of Cruz's MRI exam to determine how severe his oblique strain is and how long it will cost him.
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'It was pretty painful for him [Sunday],' manager Aaron Boone said Monday at Rogers Centre. 'Hurt it warming up in the weight room, his start-of-the-day warming up and stretching.'
Boone indicated Cruz was going through his pregame routine with a medicine ball when he felt something in his oblique, a body part that can be tricky and often cost players lengthy stretches because of the risk for reinjury if they come back too soon.
Fernando Cruz of the New York Yankees reacts on the mound in the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Boston, MA.
Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
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The good news is that this injury does not involve Cruz's right shoulder, where inflammation cost him two weeks earlier this season. But it will take a high-leverage weapon and strikeout artist away from Boone's late-game bullpen for the time being.
'Part of it,' Boone said. 'Everyone's going to deal with some attrition and bumps along the way from an injury standpoint. You've got to be able to navigate that. We have a lot of capable people that hopefully will be able to step up in different situations. Hopefully Cruz, it's not too long and we get him back and he's just a little fresher for the rest of the way.'
The Yankees called up Geoff Hartlieb from Triple-A to take Cruz's spot in the bullpen. The right-hander, who impressed the Yankees in spring training, had a 3.34 ERA in 24 games at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and can pitch multiple innings.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
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The latest stop on George Lombard's rise to becoming one of the game's top prospects?
The All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta.
Lombard will be the Yankees representative at the annual showcase of prospects that kicks off All-Star Game festivities on July 12 at Truist Park.
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The 20-year-old shortstop, who has also played some second and third base, is already one of the youngest players at Double-A after earning a promotion there last month. He began the year batting .329 with a .983 OPS and 11 steals in 24 games at High-A Hudson Valley before being bumped up to Somerset, where he is batting .209 with a .659 OPS and 14 steals in 48 games.
'Super excited about George,' Boone said. 'I think he's going to be a really good player in this league. Two-way player, outstanding defender, runs well, the bat keeps coming. He keeps getting better and better. You really notice the physicality of him. You see the year-to-year development. I think he's going to be a really good big leaguer and as good a makeup as you can have.
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'Loves the game, works incredibly hard at it, plays hard. He's one of those guys you want driving your culture. He's that kind of special makeup kid. Excited about his development. Obviously got off to a good start, earned his way to Double-A and now gets a taste of the Futures Game, which I think will be great for his development as well.'
Lombard, the Yankees' first-round pick in 2023, is ranked as the Yankees' No. 1 prospect by most publications while Baseball America has him ranked No. 20 in all of baseball.
Luis Gil will throw a live batting practice session on Tuesday, then either throw one more on Sunday or begin a rehab assignment.