Yankees place RHP Fernando Cruz on 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation Thursday, five days after the right-hander felt pain in an outing against the New York Mets.

Cruz said he had been dealing with inflammation for the past three weeks and the pain intensified when he threw 26 pitches to the final seven hitters of a 3-2 loss. Cruz got the final out of the eighth inning, the first out of the ninth but loaded the bases and allowed a tiebreaking sacrifice fly to Francisco Lindor.

“I don’t put any excuse on that game particularly, but I felt different with my arm,” Cruz said before the Yankees concluded their three-game series with the Texas Rangers with a 1-0 win. “Obviously but we battled through it. We finished the inning and we’re going to be back soon."

After notifying team trainers, Cruz took a cortisone shot that weakened his arm for the next two days, but said imaging and an MRI did not show any signs of a further injury.

The move is retroactive to Monday and Cruz said he threw from distances of 60 to 75 feet Thursday. Manager Aaron Boone said Cruz will join the Yankees on their upcoming nine-game road trip and could start throwing off a mound shortly.

Acquired from the Cincinnati Reds for catcher Jose Trevino on Dec. 20, Cruz is 1-2 with two saves and a 2.66 ERA in 21 outings. Known for his splitter, the 35-year-old has 31 of his 35 strikeouts with the pitch and is holding opposing hitters to a .155 average.

“He’s been great, but these things happen,” Boone said. “I think based on the MRI and stuff, we don’t think it’s anything too significant. So hopefully this little downtime gets him to where he needs to be.”

New York's bullpen has a 3.38 ERA with 196 strikeouts.

“He’s going to be a loss for us for sure but hopefully it’s quick,” Yankees closer Luke Weaver said. “He’s recovering really well it sounds like and his attitude is uplifting always but we’ll fill the gap as best as we can."

To replace Cruz on the roster, the Yankees recalled Brent Headrick from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Headrick made four scoreless appearances with the Yankees in the opening weeks of the season and the 27-year-old was 2-0 with a 3.72 ERA in eight outings with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB

New York Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz delivers a pitch during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)