Fernando Cruz’s overhaul, ‘gift from God’ pitch paying off in big way for Yankees

Cruz’s Spring Struggles Belie Regular Season Dominance

Despite showcasing dominant pitching early in the regular season, New York Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz endured a period of ineffectiveness during spring training. His performance in the Grapefruit League, baseball’s preseason exhibition games, stood in stark contrast to his subsequent success on the mound.

Spring Training Statistics

“You can review my spring training statistics,” Cruz commented with a chuckle prior to the Yankees’ game against the Kansas City Royals in The Bronx on Tuesday. “They were truly poor.”

Cruz’s preseason numbers included:

Nine runs allowed (seven earned)
Ten hits surrendered
6 ⅓ innings pitched
Three home runs conceded
1.89 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched)

Exhibition Season Results Deceptive

While his 11 strikeouts during spring training hinted at his potential, the overall outcomes from his preseason appearances ultimately proved to be unrepresentative of his true capabilities. These exhibition games provided little indication of the high level of performance he would achieve once the regular season commenced.

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