Fernando

Cruz

Ben Lively is expected to follow him and work the bulk innings for the Reds. On the season, Cruz has registered a 4.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and an 88/26 K/BB ratio over 60 innings of work in his 53 appearances. This will be his second time working as an opener.

Cruz missed a week due to a bout of COVID-19. The 33-year-old returns to a 4.12 ERA and 79/24 K/BB ratio over 54 2/3 innings this season.

The 33-year-old hurler is one of two players on the Reds to land on the COVID-IL on Friday. Hopefully those two were isolated quickly and there won’t be any others over the next few days. Expect Cruz to rejoin the bullpen once he’s symptom free.

Cruz was cleared to return after a couple of rehab appearances. The 33-year-old has been sidelined for the past month with a right shoulder strain.

Cruz landed on the injured list in late May with a right shoulder strain. He will likely need a few appearances before he is ready to return to the Reds’ bullpen.

The Reds have not announced the severity of the 33-year-old’s strain but you never want to see this type of injury, especially with an older pitcher. Graham Ashcraft was reinstated from the bereavement list in a corresponding transaction.

Cruz operated as the opener in a bullpen game for the Reds on Friday. He got things starting in impressive fashion, striking out the side in the first inning. With two outs in the second, he hit Albert Pujols before getting pulled at 24 pitches. Reiver Sanmartin would clean up the scoreless frame.

It’ll be a bullpen game for the Reds with Cruz, a longtime minor-league journeyman, getting the nod for his first career start. He’ll likely be followed by Raynel Espinal to gobble up the bulk of the innings. It’s a fun storyline, but there’s zero appeal here for fantasy managers.

Cruz has yet to appear in a major league game at age 32, but he’s now earned that shot after registering a 2.89 ERA and 66/19 K/BB ratio in 56 innings this year at the Triple-A level. He’ll likely work in middle relief.

Cruz hasn’t appeared in the minors since the 2016 season with the Cubs’ organization. The 31-year-old righty posted a 2.73 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 37/6 K/BB ratio across 26 1/3 innings (26 appearances) with Guadalajara in the Mexican League last year. He’ll give the Reds some additional minor-league relief depth this season.