New York Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz has a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), manager Aaron Boone announced Wednesday. The injury leaves Tommy John surgery as a possibility for the 35-year-old.
Cruz was placed on the 15-day injured list prior to the MRI, with the team concerned about his elbow. The results confirmed those fears, indicating a significant injury that could sideline Cruz for the rest of the 2026 season and potentially all of 2027. This represents a substantial blow to the Yankees' bullpen and to Cruz, who had established himself in New York.
Cruz had been enjoying a strong follow-up season to his debut in pinstripes, where he struck out 72 batters in 48 innings. However, he had begun to struggle in mid-July, giving up nine earned runs in his previous 13 2/3 innings pitched. Following a game on Tuesday where he allowed a two-run home run, Cruz denied any physical issues when speaking with the media and the team trainer.
Cruz is under team control through 2028, with his second season of arbitration approaching this offseason. If he undergoes surgery and returns, he would likely be playing at 38 years old.
In other Yankees roster news, Ryan McMahon is nearing activation from the injured list and could be ready by Sunday. Manager Aaron Boone indicated the team might wait until Tuesday to activate him and potentially a pitcher, coinciding with the September 1st call-up period. McMahon has been progressing, taking ground balls and has taken swings indoors after a Grade 2 thumb sprain. He had improved offensively in the games leading up to his injury, posting a .731 OPS with seven home runs in his previous 61 games. Without McMahon, José Caballero has seen increased time at third base but has struggled at the plate.
Pitcher Max Fried remains an option for one game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Red Sox, provided he experiences no setbacks during a side session on Thursday. The Yankees will assess his condition after that throwing workout before making a decision on his return.