Yankees Pitcher Grew Up on Heated Red Sox Rivalry

Cruz went on to say that this is something he has waited for his whole life.

"It's something that I dreamed of," Cruz continued. "Everybody that knows me knows how important it is for me."

When the Yankees traded for Cruz, they acquired him for their platinum glove catcher, former all-star and beloved clubhouse veteran, Jose Trevino. That alone carried its own weight, as Trevino had handled the pitching staff for two years before handing off the full-time reins to Austin Wells in 2024.

If Cruz has a big October, it would be a proper return on investment. Now that the postseason is finally here, Cruz can have his own moments, and he can do it against those same Red Sox he watched face his current team when he was younger.

At age 35, Cruz has had a breakout season for the Yankees. In 48 IP, he has a 3.56 ERA and 3.18 FIP. That ERA is down a full run from where it was last year, when he had a 4.85 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds in 2024.

The reason for Cruz's success is his splitter. It has been his go-to pitch all season, and now he can bring it to October. Hitters are hitting .170 with a .280 slugging against the split. He has generated a 49.2% k rate on that pitch, as well. With such a dynamic weapon at Cruz's disposal, he can be the first one out of the bullpen in case of emergency.

In preparation for that series against the Red Sox, Cruz made a bold proclamation involving the team's crutch all year. He said the bullpen will be a big weapon for the Yankees.

"I said it before, I think we have the best core of relief pitching," Cruz said, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "We got through a tough time. I think it was actually really good for us that it happened, because the adversity became a blessing. You could see at the end of the season, the results were there for the team."

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