The New York Yankees fell 6-2 to the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday afternoon. The loss is New York’s seventh in a row and second consecutive time they have been swept.
Tied 2-2 in the top of the 11th inning, Camilo Doval was one strike away from getting out the inning unscathed. Instead, the Tigers rallied for four runs to put the game away.
Doval and fellow reliever Jake Bird have been leaned on heavily by manager Aaron Boone this season and have not delivered. A potential option instead of those two would be rookie Yovanny Cruz.
The 26-year-old labored in the minor leagues for a decade before the Yankees called him up in 2026. In three games (4 ⅓ IP), he has not allowed a run, struck out six and walked zero. Cruz averages 100 MPH on his four-seam fastball.
With holes in the bullpen and the team on a long slide now, it would be sensible for Cruz to be able to get some work with the big-league club. However, the team has other ideas.
Following Wednesday’s game, New York optioned the reliever to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. It will be Cruz’s third stint with the Railriders this year.
With two relievers whom the Yankee fans do not like in Doval and Bird, the comments of the team’s official X account were critical.
One fan said, “For Jake bird to stay 😂😂😂😂this team is a joke.”
Another said, “Is this some sick joke?”
Another said, “Interesting way to spell Camilo Doval.”
The fans caring so much about Cruz, who has made 13 outs this season, is telling. They clearly believe he is deserving over Bird and Doval and the statistics agree.
Presumably it will be New York’s closer David Bednar to fill Cruz’s roster spot. Bednar has been away from the team this week on paternity leave. He is one of the fanbase’s more liked pitchers on the roster.
The Yankees have shown a willingness to option Bird to Triple-A since he became a Yankee in 2025, so perhaps Cruz will be back up sooner rather than later. In his light volume of work, his stuff looks like it will play in MLB.
