The New York Yankees' bullpen took a gut-punch on the eve of the stretch run: setup reliever Fernando Cruz has been diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow, an injury that could end his 2026 season and may require Tommy John surgery, the team confirmed this week.

Cruz, 36, was placed on the injured list after an MRI on Wednesday revealed the tear, according to MLB.com. He's now seeking a second opinion from noted elbow specialist Dr. Keith Meister before deciding whether to attempt to pitch through the partial tear or go under the knife — a decision that could sideline him well into 2027 if surgery is required.

The splitter specialist had quietly been one of New York's most reliable relief arms for most of the year, posting a 3.13 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 48 innings across 61 appearances, plus an 87% strand rate on inherited runners. But the tear may explain a sharp late-season decline: Cruz carried a 2.25 ERA through 44 outings before the All-Star break, then cratered to a 5.52 ERA over his final 17 appearances, according to ESPN.

A deadline miscalculation comes due

The timing stings. New York made no bullpen additions at the July 31 trade deadline and, per CBS Sports, actually subtracted relief depth — sending relievers Jake Bird and Yovanny Cruz to Washington as part of the package for infielder Luis García Jr. Now, with a spot in the setup mix suddenly empty in the season's most critical month, the Yankees are turning to journeymen: they signed veteran Michael Fulmer to a major-league deal and recalled Justin Topa, who has now pitched for four organizations in 2026 alone.

"THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO JUMP INTO THE DEEP END. IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR." — MANAGER AARON BOONE

Boone also struck a warmer note about Cruz himself, praising him as "such a great person for our team" while stressing the decision on treatment will be made with the pitcher's long-term health in mind, not just this season's stretch run.

Stakes couldn't be higher

The injury lands squarely in the middle of a playoff push. New York sits at 75-57, holding the American League's first wild-card spot but just 2½ games ahead of a surging Boston Red Sox club, and still chasing Tampa Bay atop the AL East. The Yankees' bullpen ranks second in the majors in ERA at 3.04, but that number has leaned heavily on closer David Bednar and setup men Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick — two arms already absorbing outsized workloads that will only grow with Cruz sidelined.

Beyond the stopgap signings, New York's front office is eyeing internal reinforcements for September: right-hander Elmer Rodríguez could shift to the bullpen once Max Fried returns to the rotation, while injured arms Luis Gil (shoulder) and Clarke Schmidt (recovering from his own UCL surgery) represent longer-shot returns before the calendar turns to October.

For now, the Yankees will lean on their newly patched-together relief corps as they try to hold off Boston and keep pace with Tampa Bay, with roster clarity on Cruz's status — and a surgery decision — expected in the coming days.