Reds must take drastic measures following Fernando Cruz's latest collapse vs. Giants

At the beginning of the year, Fernando Cruz looked like a revelation. Using his incredible splitter that he called “a gift from God,” Cruz looked dominant through the month of April with a 1.59 ERA in 12 appearances out of the Cincinnati Reds bullpen.

Since then, manager David Bell has relied on Cruz more than any other pitcher on the Reds' staff, pitching in 54 games, which is 11 more than the next closest pitcher — who happens to be the recently traded Lucas Sims.

Unfortunately for Cruz and the Reds, the hot start wore off quickly. Since May, Cruz owns an ERA near 6.00, bringing his season mark to 5.28 after failing to log an out Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. The right-hander has been inconsistent and has struggled to show signs of convincing success as a late inning stopper.

The Reds must option Fernando Cruz back to Triple-A Louisville

Cruz had a tough July. In 13 appearances out of the Reds bullpen, Cruz went 0-3 and blew three saves. Last month, Cruz owned a 9.00 ERA and 5.42 FIP in eight innings pitched. Over his last seven outings, Cruz has only worked 3.2 innings while allowing five runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

As a result of his struggles, it isn’t crazy to think that a stint in minor leagues should be an option. The former World Baseball Classic star for team Puerto Rico could benefit from regaining some confidence against lesser competition in a low-stress environment. Cruz gave up three runs on two hits against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon, and the deficit ballooned from one run to four.

Cruz is far from a lost cause on the mound, as he has excellent whiff and strikeout numbers. Cruz has ultimately been hampered by hard hit fly balls and a bad fastball. But if the Reds are able to help him make an adjustment to his heater and turn it into just a league-average pitch, Cruz could return to his elite form and find himself as a bullpen weapon again.  

Cruz's splitter is elite, and the tools are there for success. Ultimately, Reds fans would love to see the 34-year-old feel-good story straighten things out at the big-league level and become the dominant reliever he flashed in April. Cruz is under team-control for several more seasons, so getting him right with a trio to the minor leagues seems like a no-brainer.

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