Yankees promote right-handed reliever Yovanny Cruz, option Elmer Rodríguez
The 26-year-old flamethrower completes an incredible rise as the Yankees search for answers in the bullpen.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 24: Manager Aaron Boone #17 high fives pitcher Yovanny Cruz #96 of the New York Yankees before a spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on March 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images While the Yankees’ bullpen wasn’t a real problem statistically over the first several weeks of the season, its weakness and relative lack of depth have reared their ugly head over the last week or two, blowing multiple inherited leads during a 2-7 road trip that saw the Yanks lose ground to the Rays in the early divisional race. Well, after overworking said bullpen in the final two days of the Subway Series at Citi Field, the Yankees are adding another arm to the fray, selecting the contract of right-handed reliever Yovanny Cruz and optioning fill-in fifth-starter Elmer Rodríguez back to Triple-A ahead of Monday’s series opener against the rival Blue Jays.
Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves: • Optioned RHP Elmer Rodríguez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. • Signed RHP Yovanny Cruz (#96) to a Major League contract and selected him to the active roster. — New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 18, 2026 This move is the culmination of a tremendous rise for Cruz, whose MLB dreams seemed as far away as ever as recently as this offseason.
He originally signed with the Chicago Cubs out of the Dominican Republic in August 2016 and slowly rose through their system, but stagnated after the COVID-19 pandemic due to injuries and struggles with command. He elected free agency after 2023 and bounced from the Padres’ system in 2024 to the Red Sox’s Double-A squad in 2025, pitching to a 3. 54 ERA in 89 innings across both seasons, but walking 60 as he struggled to command a high-90s fastball.
After allowing just one run in 18. 2 innings with Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League, he was invited to Yankees’ spring training this February and lit up the radar gun, turning heads in the stands and in the clubhouse. Aaron Boone suggested he was seriously considered to break camp with the team, but was ultimately assigned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he’s pitched to a 3.