Yankees reliever Cruz placed on injured list with oblique strain; catcher Wells undergoing finger examination

Two key Yankees players recently underwent medical evaluations: reliever Fernando Cruz was placed on the injured list due to a left oblique strain, while catcher Austin Wells was examined for circulatory issues in his left index finger.

According to manager Aaron Boone, Cruz suffered the injury during medicine ball exercises in the strength training room prior to yesterday’s game against the Athletics. He underwent an MRI in New York yesterday morning to assess the severity of the strain.

"He experienced significant pain," Boone said before yesterday’s game against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, "We hope the recovery period isn’t too long and that he returns fully healthy."

This marks Cruz’s second stint on the injured list this season; he was sidelined from May 22 to June 3 due to a right shoulder strain. The 35-year-old has appeared in 32 games this season with a 3.00 ERA, earning 2 saves and striking out 54 batters over 33 innings.

Wells’s situation is more complicated. He missed two of the three games in the Yankees’ weekend series against the Athletics.

Boone explained yesterday that Wells reported intermittent coldness in his left index finger, prompting testing. This led to an invasive procedure on Monday targeting the artery near the groin to rule out blood clots or aneurysms.

Boone said all results so far have been encouraging and compared Wells’s symptoms to those catcher Ben Rortvedt experienced during Yankees spring training in 2023.

"We have done our due diligence to ensure he is okay," Boone stated, "Everything has been positive so far... The symptoms don’t affect his play; some days he only feels coldness and occasional localized circulation issues."

Based on the latest tests, Boone expects Wells could return as early as Thursday. J.C. Escarra will serve as the primary catcher for Tuesday and Wednesday’s games against Toronto.

Boone emphasized that the circulatory problem has not impacted Wells’s hitting or defense, though he acknowledged Wells’s recent at-bats have been "somewhat unusual." Wells has played 69 games this season with a slash line of .214/.275/.424, including 13 doubles, 1 triple, 11 home runs, and 45 RBIs.

"His plate discipline might be a bit off," Boone analyzed, "The key is whether he can quickly get into a strong hitting stance. If he can, his talent is evident."

To fill the bullpen gap, the Yankees signed right-hander Geoff Hartlieb to a major league contract and added him to the active roster.

The 31-year-old Hartlieb has posted a 3.34 ERA over 24 games (35 innings) with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. His major league experience includes stints with the Pirates (2019-21), Mets (2021), Marlins (2023), and Rockies (2024).

"He impressed us during spring training," Boone noted, "We immediately recognized he would be a valuable asset this season."