Yankees bullpen struggles amid increasing workloads and stress from recent losses

The Yankees relievers faced continued challenges during a 9-7 loss to the Astros on Tuesday. Fernando Cruz's struggles were evident, with a recent spike in his ERA to 5.52 since the All-Star break. Manager Aaron Boone noted the fatigue within the pitching staff, compounded by the team's struggles to maintain leads. Despite offensive contributions from players like Cody Bellinger and Luis Garcia Jr., the Yankees failed to gain ground in the standings. Looking ahead, rookie Elmer Rodriguez is expected to start in place of the injured Ryan Weathers, and the bullpen may need adjustments to manage workloads as September approaches.

• 11:03 AMYahoo Sports — Stressful innings, increasing workloads part of Yankees' worrisome bullpen reality