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The New York Yankees are facing a serious pitching crisis, not unlike the situation unfolding with the Los Angeles Dodgers. From Gerrit Cole's injury to the ongoing issues plaguing Marcus Stroman and Clarke Schmidt, the Yankees' rotation is crumbling at a critical point in the season.
The situation worsened when reliever Luke Weaver suffered a hamstring strain while warming up in the bullpen. While the bats have come alive - with Aaron Judge putting up MVP-caliber numbers - postseason baseball demands a healthy and reliable pitching staff.
Carlos Rodón stays composed and leads by example
In the midst of this turmoil, Carlos Rodón was asked if he felt the need to step up and be a veteran voice in the clubhouse. His response was clear and poised:
"Not really. I think it's one of those things... it's a cliché to say it, but it's kind of a next-man-up deal. For me, I was going to pitch regardless."
Rodón's calm demeanor says a lot about his mindset - and even more about his current stretch of dominance. The left-hander has gone 6-0 over his last eight starts, with a stunning 1.27 ERA. His latest outing - seven scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts against the Angels - has fans and analysts buzzing.
A grateful Rodón defends his teammates
Beyond his performance, Rodón has shown gratitude and leadership. He recently thanked his father for helping him through tough times and didn't hesitate to defend his younger teammates.
Speaking about Will Warren, who was thrown into a high-pressure situation against the World Series-contending Dodgers, Rodón said:
"Will Warren has been really great. It's a tough lineup to face at that age. You're going up against perennial All-Stars, future Hall of Famers."
He also praised Ryan Yarbrough's recent contributions, acknowledging the lefty's importance during this rocky stretch.
Fernando Cruz returns to bolster Yankees bullpen
Amid the setbacks, the Yankees finally received some good news: Fernando Cruz is back. The team announced via X that the right-hander has been activated from the 15-day injured list. Cruz had been out since May 22 after feeling shoulder discomfort during a game against the Rangers.
Given his history of shoulder issues, the IL stint wasn't surprising - but the good news is that Cruz's recovery ended successfully over the weekend. He threw 17 pitches in a bullpen session, and no rehab assignment was required. His return couldn't have come at a better time, just after the loss of Luke Weaver.
So far, Cruz has been steady, posting a 2.66 ERA across 23.2 innings. He's converted two of three save opportunities and has been a reliable late-inning option. With Devin Williams still trying to find his rhythm, Cruz could become the go-to closer for now.