Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz makes dazzling sliding play on bunt in win vs Rangers

Who says pitchers aren’t athletes?

New York Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz showed disconnected his athleticism with a fantastic play connected a bunt effort successful the eighth inning of the team’s 3-2 triumph implicit the Texas Rangers connected Tuesday nighttime astatine Globe Life Field.

The Rangers were down 2-0 successful the bottommost of the eighth inning with runners connected archetypal and second, with cleanup hitter Joc Pederson astatine the plate. Pederson tried to astonishment Cruz with a bunt.

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New York Yankees alleviation pitcher Fernando Cruz fields a crushed shot and throws to 3rd basal for an retired during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers astatine Globe Life Field successful Arlington, Texas, connected April 28, 2026. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

Cruz was acceptable for it and came charging disconnected the mound and slid to snag the ball. Cruz’s descent pointed him successful the absorption of 3rd base, throwing the shot with arsenic overmuch velocity arsenic helium could muster, arsenic helium threw from his back.

Yankees 3rd baseman Ryan McMahon snared Cruz’s propulsion connected the bounce portion besides stretching disconnected the bag. Cruz’s propulsion narrowly bushed the hustling Rangers 3rd baseman Josh Jung to the container for a important out.

The bunt play was an accidental for Cruz to amusement disconnected his skills from a anterior shot life, arsenic helium was drafted arsenic an infielder earlier converting to a pitcher aboriginal successful his career.

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New York Yankees pitcher Fernando Cruz celebrates aft pitching successful the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers successful Arlington, Texas, connected April 28, 2026. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)

Aaron Judge said helium had Cruz talking astir his infield past and jokingly said helium mightiness judge Cruz’s past.

"I deliberation I mightiness judge him now," Judge said with a smile. "We'll see. I request to spot a mates much bully plays similar that. I'm much disquieted of having him conscionable support doing his happening connected the mound. I deliberation we'll beryllium good."

Cruz’s adjacent 2 outs were not arsenic melodramatic arsenic his archetypal out, but were conscionable arsenic important, arsenic helium struck retired Jake Burger and pinch-hitter Ezequiel Duran to extremity the inning.

Judge deed a solo location tally successful the ninth inning, tying Chicago White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami with his MLB-leading 12th of the season, to springiness the Yankees a 3-0 pb successful the ninth inning.

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New York Yankees alleviation pitcher Fernando Cruz reacts aft the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers astatine Globe Life Field successful Arlington, Texas, connected April 28, 2026. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

Judge’s homer ended up being the game-winning run, arsenic the Rangers scored 2 runs successful the bottommost of the ninth inning and were threatening for more. However, Yankees person David Bednar held connected for the prevention with a game-ending treble play aft inducing a crushed shot from Corey Seager.

With the win, the Yankees improved to an American League-best 20-10. They volition look to implicit the expanse erstwhile they play the Rangers (14-16) successful the last crippled of the three-game bid connected Wednesday astatine 2:35 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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