Leiter to IL with stress fracture in left leg stemming from footrace with Elly

NEW YORK – Mark Leiter Jr. traces the lingering pain in his left leg to a lost 11th-inning footrace in Cincinnati on June 24, when the Yankees reliever dashed to first base, trying to get there ahead of the Reds’ electric Elly De La Cruz.

Leiter didn’t advertise it then, but he said he “felt a pop” on that play, which resulted in an infield hit. After attempting to pitch through the issue for the better part of two weeks, Leiter landed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with what the club described as a left fibular head stress fracture.

“We thought it was my calf, because it was responding [like] a calf,” Leiter said. “It didn’t really do me any good to tell anyone, because if they bunted against me, I was a little limited. I got a couple of days off and the trainers did a great job making me feel better.”

Leiter made four appearances after that game, the most recent of which came on Sunday against the Mets at Citi Field.

He tossed two-thirds of an inning with a walk in the Yankees’ 6-4 win, an appearance made memorable by Cody Bellinger’s shoestring catch to rob Juan Soto and a strong throw to first base that doubled off Francisco Lindor.

“On Sunday, I felt like I was really compromised for the first time since it happened,” Leiter said. “I didn’t feel like myself.”

Leiter, who has pitched to a 4.46 ERA across 41 appearances this season, said he has been given no estimated timetable for a return to big league action.

“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.”

In a corresponding move, the Yankees recalled right-hander Clayton Beeter from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

With Fernando Cruz also on the injured list due to a left oblique strain and Luke Weaver having pitched to a 13.50 ERA in seven appearances since returning from a left hamstring strain, the Yankees bullpen has experienced significant setbacks.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has pointed to pitching as his main priority leading into the July 31 Trade Deadline, both starters and relievers. They’re also hoping for a few surprise contributors along the way.

“We’ve certainly had our share of under-the-radar or unknown guys have really established key roles,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We need that to happen here as we paddle through some struggles and some attrition.”