Yankees' Patient Approach to Yovanny Cruz's Eventual Promotion Is the Right One

Yovanny Cruz's odds of succeeding in the MLB could be better thanks to the Yankees' patience. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Injuries have impacted the Yankees' roster throughout the year, from waiting for Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón to finally make their 2026 debuts to Jasson Domínguez's frequent battle with the injury bug. The various banged-up bodies have forced the Yankees to make several call-ups early on this season; however, one minor-leaguer who's still waiting for a chance to shine in the Majors is Yovanny Cruz.

Cruz, 26, is an often-discussed call-up candidate within the Yankees' circle. The Dominican right-handed reliever has been wheeling and dealing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre throughout the season, going 4-1 with a 1.72 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings. It's easy to see those numbers and view Cruz as a potential upgrade over inconsistent bullpen arms like Jake Bird and Camilo Doval.

Yovanny Cruz, 101.5 mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/UynkqElj4J

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 13, 2026

But instead of giving Cruz a chance, the Yankees turned to other minor-league arms when the situation arose. Yerry de los Santos drew a brief promotion earlier this week, followed by an up-and-down appearance from Brendan Beck. Kevin Castro was the latest call-up after New York returned Beck to Scranton on Thursday evening.

As frustrated as some might be by Cruz's continued stay with the RailRiders, it's fair to say that the Yankees' patient approach is the right way to go.

Yankees won't waste a 40-man roster spot if Yovanny Cruz isn't ready

The 40-man roster and its limited spots are among the biggest factors preventing Cruz's MLB debut. Although the Yankees have an open spot, they likely want to be careful with how they use it—especially with how often they've dealt with injuries so far. They might prefer to use it on a position player if they're confident with their other options.

If the Yankees used that spot on Cruz, they'd have to kick someone else to the curb whenever they want to make a 40-man roster addition. In fact, the six-foot, 180-pound righty could even be that casualty if he isn't ready for the big-league pressure. The last thing New York wants is to feel like it wasted that opportunity, highlighting how important it is to get it right.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone is waiting for the right opportunity to add Yovanny Cruz to the 40-man roster. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Cruz's season-long performance looks impressive, but he hasn't been as reliable lately.

As of Friday evening, he's allowed two earned runs and a homer on three hits while issuing a walk in his last two outings (2 2/3 innings). That's far from a sky-is-falling-like performance; however, it's notable because it's the first time this season that Cruz has surrendered earned runs in consecutive contests.

Perhaps the Yankees want to see a turnaround before making a 40-man commitment.

When will Yovanny Cruz join New York?

As with most minor-leaguers hoping to make a big-league impact, it'll be up to Cruz to force the Yankees' hand. There's no denying what he's accomplished so far, but it's clear that he needs to string together more consistent performances before giving him the green light.

With that being said, all hope isn't lost, as the Yankees' bullpen still has some weak spots. Bird's performance has recently improved after a rocky start to the year, but he still has a 5.68 ERA with a blown save in his last seven games, all while demonstrating questionable control. Doval, meanwhile, owns a 5.79 ERA on the season, impacting how the entire bullpen performs.

If the Yankees reach a point where they're ready to move on from either reliever, Cruz will likely be the next man up. An opportunity could come before May is over, but there's also a chance that New York will wait until closer to the MLB All-Star Break. That would give any injured arms enough time to heal, giving Boone & Co. a better idea of how and where Cruz can slot in.

In other words, those waiting for Cruz's promotion will need to be patient for a little longer.

The Yankees are doing the right thing by ensuring he's on his game and that there's a long-term opportunity waiting for him before giving fans what they want. If all goes to plan, the juice will be worth the squeeze in the long run.