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Top Fernando Cruz News

  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Preserving bullpen role

    Cruz walked one and struck out four over two hitless and scoreless innings in Thursday's spring game against the Rangers.

    The 34-year-old Cruz spent his first full season in the majors in 2023 and could maintain a largely low-leverage role for the Reds in 2024. The right-hander's advanced metrics from last season -- 2.83 FIP, 34.5 whiff percentage, 35.1 strikeout percentage -- suggest a better result than the 4.91 ERA he posted. Cruz has options remaining, which could be a factor when manager David Bell determines the lefty-righty mix needed in the bullpen to start the season.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Working as opener Tuesday

    Cruz will serve as the Reds' opening pitcher for Tuesday's game against the Twins, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

    Cruz last served as an opener Aug. 26 against Arizona, allowing one unearned run on one hit while fanning four across 1.1 innings. He's set to work an inning or two Tuesday before turning the game over to a bulk reliever, with Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer relaying that Ben Lively is the most likely candidate to enter the game after Cruz's departure.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Back from COVID-19 IL

    Cruz was activated from the COVID-19 injured list Friday.

    Cruz was one of a handful of Reds players to miss time with COVID-19, but he returns having been out for the minimum seven days. He's been an effective reliever for Cincinnati this season, posting a 4.12 ERA and 79:24 K:BB over 54.2 frames, but he has only one win and six holds in 49 appearances.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Wild in return

    Cruz allowed two runs on one hit and one walk while striking out two over two-thirds of an inning in Friday's 9-4 loss to the Cardinals.

    It was wild outing for Cruz, who made his first appearances after being reinstated from the COVID-19-related list Friday. He hit the first batter faced, walked the next, then threw a couple of wild pitches.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Lands on COVID-19 IL

    The Reds placed Cruz on the COVID-19 injured list Friday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

    Cruz will join Hunter Greene and Ben Lively on the COVID-19 IL, and he'll be forced to miss at least one week. Carson Spiers was brought up from Double-A Chattanooga as Cruz's replacement.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Set to open Saturday's game

    Cruz will serve as the Reds' opening pitcher for Saturday's game against the Diamdonbacks, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

    Though the Reds haven't confirmed that a bulk reliever will work behind Cruz, Ben Lively (pectoral) is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list Saturday and appears likely to cover multiple innings out of the bullpen. Cruz, who will be making his first start of 2023, hasn't recorded more than six outs in any of his 46 appearances this season. He carries a 4.30 ERA and 1.22 WHIP into Saturday's contest.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Activated from injured list

    Cruz was activated from the 15-day injured list by the Reds on Friday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

    Cruz missed nearly a month of action with a right shoulder strain but is ready to roll following a couple rehab appearances. He's posted a 6.59 ERA in 13.2 relief innings for the Reds this season, although that's come with 20 strikeouts.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Starting rehab assignment

    Cruz (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Sunday, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

    Cruz could be activated as soon as May 26 for the start of the Reds' next road trip. He's been out since late April with a right shoulder strain.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Hits IL with shoulder strain

    Cruz was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right shoulder strain, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

    Cruz has struggled out of the gate to the tune of a 6.59 ERA over 13.2 innings out of the bullpen, and he'll now be shut down for at least a couple of weeks because of the shoulder injury. The Reds reinstated Graham Ashcraft from the bereavement list in a corresponding move.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Wild season debut

    Cruz walked three batters and threw a wild pitch while recording just one out in relief of Hunter Greene in Thursday's Opening Day loss to the Pirates.

    Cruz's control problems allowed both of the runners he inherited from Greene to score, and contributed to the Reds walking a cumulative nine batters over the course of the game.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Opening Friday's game

    Cruz will work as the opener Friday against the Cardinals.

    He tossed 1.2 perfect innings with zero strikeouts as the opener Tuesday against the Pirates. Raynel Espinal or Reiver Sanmartin would be logical options to work as the primary pitcher.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Opening Game 2 vs. Bucs

    Cruz will work as an opener in Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Pirates, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

    Raynel Espinal is expected to be the primary pitcher out of the bullpen after Cruz gets a few outs to open the game. Cruz has a 1.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings over five appearances since getting promoted for September.

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  • Reds' Fernando Cruz: Receives first call-up at age 32

    The Reds selected Cruz's contract from Triple-A Louisville on Thursday.

    Perhaps no September call-up has had a more interesting path to the big leagues than Cruz, who was drafted by the Royals as an infielder in 2007. He transitioned to a full-time pitching role in 2011 and bounced around between affiliated ball, the independent ranks and foreign leagues over the last decade before finally getting his first promotion to the majors at 32 years old. The right-hander will likely be ticketed for a low-leverage role out of the Cincinnati bullpen after compiling a 2.89 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 66:19 K:BB in 56 innings at Louisville.

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Player Bio

HT/WT: 6-2, 237 lbs
Birthplace: Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Age: 34
Experience: 1
Bats/Throws: R, R