Yankees’ Fernando Cruz solid in return from injured list after shoulder injury

On an otherwise forgettable night, the best sight for the Yankees was a healthy Fernando Cruz on the mound.

The often overpowering righty successfully returned from a stint on the injured list with shoulder inflammation during Wednesday’s 4-0 loss to the Guardians in The Bronx.

Pitching for the first time since May 17, Cruz struck out three and allowed two hits — one a home run to Kyle Manzardo — during an eighth inning in which he felt strong.

“I thought the stuff was really good,” manager Aaron Boone said of Cruz, who will be especially important with Luke Weaver sidelined. “I thought the fastball was good and tallied up three more of the worst swings I’ve seen off the forkball or whatever.”

The forkball (or splitter) again was devastating — inducing nine swings from Cleveland batters and five whiffs — and Cruz was only dented by a second-pitch home run from Manzardo, who reversed a four-seamer over the wall in right-center.

Cruz said he felt Manzardo was sitting fastball and guessed right, which happens.

More encouraging was the overall stuff and Cruz’s health.

“I feel amazing,” said Cruz, who owns a 2.92 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 24 ²/₃ innings. “Velocity was there, stuff was there, splitter feels amazing. Everything felt amazing out of my hand.

“It’s time to give the team what it needs. I’m ready. I’m good.”

The Yankees are approaching a Giancarlo Stanton decision.

After building up with over a week’s worth of live batting practice at-bats in Tampa, the slugger would “probably” be heading back to New York soon, Aaron Boone said.

The Yankees manager did not yet know the next step for Stanton but said the decision would be made “hopefully in the next 24 hours.”

It is at least possible that Stanton — who has skipped rehab assignments in the past because he feels the high-velocity machines especially can approximate major league pitching — does not get sent to Double-A Somerset or Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but Stanton said last month he thought he would need a rehab assignment.

Because Stanton does not play the field, Boone has said that he hasn’t known what a rehab assignment would look like.

Stanton missed all of spring training and two months of the season so far with elbow tendinitis in both arms, injuries that he has called “severe.”

Stanton has said that whenever he does return, he will be playing through pain.

The All-Star Game ballot was announced Wednesday, which features Austin Wells at catcher, Paul Goldschmidt at first base, Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base, DJ LeMahieu at third base, Anthony Volpe at shortstop, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham in the outfield and Ben Rice at designated hitter.

After being designated for assignment again, Carlos Carrasco cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Dominic Smith, who had opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees on Sunday, signed a major league deal with the Giants.

Smith posted a .782 OPS with eight home runs in 45 games with SWB.