The New York Yankees traded for 34-year-old reliever Fernando Cruz, who has emerged as a potential hidden gem in their trade history. Despite an inflated ERA of 4.86 in 2024, Cruz's performance metrics are impressive, including a 37.8% strikeout rate. His standout pitch, a splitter with remarkable stats, leads the league in whiff percentage. Cruz's journey has seen him transition from infielder to pitcher, dabble in independent leagues, and eventually return to MLB in a noteworthy manner since 2022.
"Over the last two seasons, the pitch has been worth 18 Statcast Runs above average, the most of any splitter in the sport."
"Cruz has been on quite a journey in his baseball career, originally getting drafted by the Royals as an infielder in 2007."
Collection
[
|
...
]