The New York Yankees have a bit of a situation in their hands, much like the Los Angeles Dodgers do—pitching trouble. Seems like after LA, the Bronx has the curse. Starting from Gerrit Cole to Marcus Stroman and Clarke Schmidt, everyone is on the same boat. And now another major blow: reliever Luke Weaver pulled up a hamstring injury while warming up in the bullpen. Granted, the bats are buzzing, and Aaron Judge looks like he is having another MVP year, but October games require efforts from everyone.

So it’s another gut punch to the rotation that’s walking on crutches. So when Carlos Rodon stepped up to the mic, the natural question, of course, hung in the air.

“Do you feel the need to rise now, as the veteran voice?” And Rodon didn’t flinch to answer!

Unmoved by the question, Rodon said, “Not really. I think it’s one of those things—it’s just so cliché to say, but it’s a next-man-up kind of deal. For me, I was going to be pitching, regardless.” The calm answer really said everything about Rodon’s state of mind now and maybe even more so about his current run of dominance. While the Yankees are scrambling to tape a rotation, Rodon has become their rock. The lefthander has gone 6-0 over his last eight starts and is pitching a 1.27 ERA.

Rodon’s seven scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts against the Angels have people talking. So, most definitely, he is pitching without pressure because he is thriving in it. Recently, he even thanked his dad for helping him overcome the struggles. And seems like he is healing because Rodon even went to defend his teammates. Mostly, Will Warren, who was thrown to the wolves, especially after playing in the disastrous game with the World Series-winning Dodgers. The 32-year-old added, “Will Warren has been really great… That’s a tough lineup to face at that age. You’re going against perennial All-Stars, future Hall of Famers.” 

Rodon also praised Ryan Yarbrough, saying, “He’s been so good to us lately.” However, it’s impossible to ignore the crisis over the Yankees’ staff. Cole, Stroman, and Schmidt are all nursing injuries. Even young slugger Jasson Domínguez left Sunday’s game with a thumb contusion. But still, one piece of good news is – the Bronx has some reinforcement coming.

Fernando Cruz makes a return to the Yankee bullpen

The New York Yankees are getting a much-needed boost to their bullpen—Fernando Cruz is officially back from his 15-day injured list. The Yankees announced it on X! Cruz has been sidelined since May 22 after feeling some kind of shoulder discomfort during a game against the Rangers. Given that he has a history of shoulder injuries, the injured list move wasn’t exactly shocking. But the good news is that he wrapped up his recovery this past weekend.

Cruz tossed 17 pitches in a bullpen session, and no rehab assignment was needed. And now, he is finally making a much-awaited return. The comeback couldn’t have been at a better time, given they just lost Luke Weaver to an injury. Now with Cruz entering, it’s a huge breather for the team because he has been solid so far with a 2.66 ERA over 23.2 innings. He has converted two of three save chances and has a steady presence in late-inning situations. Plus, with Devin Williams still finding his footing, Cruz might be the guy to shut the doors against teams now.

It’s really been a patchwork effort for the New York Yankees’ bullpen lately. But with Cruz returning, things have a shot at becoming stable. Something the Yankee fans have been waiting for.