Yovanny Cruz’s newest call-up was lethal critical.
With the Yankees still looking out for options to solidify their bullpen, Cruz obtained his second call-up of the season Tuesday — though the righty reliever initially thought he was being pranked.
“Yeah, very grateful to be back. Obviously, it’s a great opportunity to be up here,” he advised The Post through a translator. “I was just in my room last night, and I got the call — I thought it was the guys playing a joke on me. But obviously it was the manager telling me I was going to the big leagues again.”
For Cruz, 26, this will be another audition to stake a spot on the Yankees’ pitching workers after a promising couple of performances in the spring.
After being introduced up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Cruz made his MLB debut May 20 against Toronto and pitched 2 ¹/₃ scoreless innings across two video games. In a bigger pattern measurement in SWB, he produced a 3.18 ERA in 24 appearances. Cruz could show to be an asset for the Pinstripes with his capability to prime 100 mph.
The next step is his command.
Yankees pitcher Yovanny Cruz (96) throws against the Blue Jays in his MLB debut. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
“It’s something that gave me a little bit of trouble last year, and I think commanding the strike zone has improved much more this year,” he said.
Aside from his speedy fastball, Cruz is also armed with a slider that can attain 90 mph. At the same time, he’s walked 4.1 batters per 9 innings in Triple-A and knows he will have to clear issues up in the huge leagues.
Cruz thought his newest Yankees call-up was a joke — it wasn’t. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“Besides the velo, to be effective up here, you just gotta be able to use all of your pitches and command very well the strike zone,” he said.
Cruz’s most latest call-up coincided with Yerry De los Santos being optioned back to Triple-A and comes as the Yankees have lost 5 consecutive video games.
Though the bullpen is thought-about a relative energy, the Yankees could be in the market for aid assist forward of the Aug. 3 deadline.
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Cruz spent eight years in the minors and performed in the Cubs, Padres and Red Sox organizations before getting his shot with the Yankees. He would definitely love to stick around and present normal supervisor Brian Cashman with an inside answer.
“Seeing how close-knit the group is here, definitely feels like a family, like a team,” he said.
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