The New York Yankees have placed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. on the 15-day Injured List retroactive to July 7, following a stress fracture in his left fibula. The injury took place during an extra-inning game against the Cincinnati Reds last month, involving a footrace with Reds’ infielder Elly De La Cruz that resulted in discomfort and pain for Leiter.
During the bottom of the 11th inning, after De La Cruz hit a ground ball, Leiter sprinted to cover first base but immediately felt pain in his leg. Despite the discomfort, he managed to continue pitching but the pain persisted and worsened over time.
“It’s a bone, so the bone has to heal,” Leiter said. “The only thing that was bothering me in the beginning was running and turning left. It got better and better each day. It was trending in a good way, I thought. Then it just took a step back.”
—Mark Leiter Jr., Pitcher
Leiter’s condition notably worsened after his most recent outing during the Subway Series against the New York Mets. Since the injury, he has appeared in four games but struggled, yielding five runs over just 2.1 innings.
Impact on Yankees bullpen amid multiple injuries
Leiter’s absence adds to the growing list of relievers on the Yankees Injured List, which already includes Jake Cousins, Fernando Cruz, and Yerry De Los Santos. Additionally, Luke Weaver has appeared in seven games since returning from injury but has struggled with a 13.50 ERA.
In the starting rotation, key pitchers Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt have suffered season-ending injuries, while Luis Gil and Ryan Yarbrough remain in rehabilitation. Manager Aaron Boone expressed his frustration with the injury toll on the pitching staff.
“It’s been a rough stretch,” Boone said. “Especially with the amount of games, pitching guys, we’ve been in a lot of close games. … Mark’s a guy that we’ve leaned on a lot in the first half, so that’s probably caught up to us a little bit.”
—Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager
Before landing on the Injured List, Leiter had been one of the most relied-upon arms in the bullpen. He logged a 2.65 ERA at Yankee Stadium and a 4.46 ERA overall in 41 appearances, striking out roughly one-third of opposing batters with a 32.1% strikeout rate. To replace Leiter, the Yankees called up Clayton Beeter from Triple-A Scranton.
What lies ahead for Leiter and the Yankees’ pitching unit
The Yankees have not yet announced a timeline for Leiter’s return. Boone confirmed that Leiter will undergo an MRI, after which medical staff will determine the next steps for his recovery. The injury to Leiter, combined with the ongoing challenges faced by other pitchers, raises concerns about the bullpen’s depth and effectiveness moving forward.
With the loss occurring shortly after the footrace with Elly De La Cruz, the incident highlights the physical toll that on-field contests can have on players. How the Yankees manage their pitching staff during this critical stretch of the season will be crucial to maintaining their competitiveness.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How many errors does Elly De La Cruz have in 2025?
A. In a statement to Z101 Digital in the Dominican Republic, family members shared that De La Cruz’s sister, Genelis, passed away from ongoing health issues. On Sunday, De La Cruz chose not to talk to the media. The Reds also decided not to give more information, respecting De La Cruz’s preferences.