NEW YORK — He walked the first two batters he saw. The Rangers loaded the bases and scored three times before the Yankees took a single swing. By the time the first inning ended, Elmer Rodriguez had thrown 37 pitches.
Then something interesting happened. He settled down and competed for four more innings.
The Yankees won 7-4 anyway. And Rodriguez, after the game, was asked what it meant to pitch inside Yankee Stadium for the first time. His answer had nothing to do with the walks.
A dream realized on a complicated night
Rodriguez’s second career start came against the same Texas Rangers lineup he had faced in his debut on April 29 in Arlington. This time, the venue was the Bronx.
After the game, Rodriguez was asked what it felt like to take the mound at Yankee Stadium. It was clear the moment meant more to him than the stat line.
“Better than what I expected. It was always a dream of mine pitching here,” Rodriguez said. “I was excited and it was a blast. Ever since I was a little kid, I was dreaming of playing in the big and hopefully play for the Yankees, extremely blessed and thankful for the opportunity to be here and wear pinstripes.”
The 22-year-old right-hander is one of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects. Tuesday was his reward for a strong spring at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he posted a 1.27 ERA before his call-up.
The rocky first inning and what caused it
Rodriguez walked the first two batters. Josh Jung’s single loaded the bases with nobody out. Joc Pederson hit a sacrifice fly. Ezequiel Duran singled in a run. Jung scored on a wild pitch. Three runs before the Yankees batted. Rodriguez needed 37 pitches to escape.
Rodriguez addressed the first inning himself after the game. He was direct about where he went wrong and what he had to do to fix it.
“First inning wasn’t the first inning I was trying to go for,” Rodriguez said. “Two walks to start the game, I can’t be doing that. Makes me go into trouble, struggled a little bit there. After that, just tried to be simple, just go there, attack and not try to do too much and it felt like it worked better.”
The main news: optioned back to Triple-A after the win
After the Yankees’ 7-4 victory, the team announced Rodriguez was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The move was expected. Carlos Rodon, returning from an elbow issue, is set to reclaim his Yankees rotation spot. He likely made his final rehab start with Scranton on Tuesday night.
Rodriguez’s Yankees numbers across two starts: 5.19 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 8 2/3 innings, eight walks. The command trouble was consistent. But his four Triple-A starts this season showed a 1.27 ERA and just seven walks. The Yankees know the strikes are in there.
The Yankees view the demotion as developmental. Rodriguez remains a candidate for additional spot starts as the season goes on.
Boone: ‘He didn’t flinch’
Manager Aaron Boone was asked before the game what he wanted to see from Rodriguez’s second start. His pre-game answer framed what the organization had been waiting for.
“Just better strike throwing, which that’s not a reach for him. That’s what he is and what he will be, just that part wasn’t great in his first outing,” Boone said.
After the game, Boone was asked to evaluate what Rodriguez delivered despite the shaky opening. His answer reflected genuine appreciation for how the 22-year-old responded after a first inning that could have unraveled into something far worse.
“Just having a hard time getting settled. Again, though, credit to him,” Boone said. “To have two long at-bats to start it and lose them both. Then a base hit right away, to limit the damage somewhat and still grind his way through it. Proud of the effort and a great learning experience. You’re in the fire there. It can go haywire really quick. He didn’t flinch. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but he battled his butt off.”
Boone also reflected on what Rodriguez’s night showed about his overall makeup as a pitcher.
“He’s got good stuff. He’s a good athlete,” Boone said. “I feel like he was able to slow the situation down enough. In a night where he was struggling to get the ball where he wanted consistently.”
Rodriguez on his own stuff and his path forward
Rodriguez finished with three runs, six hits, two strikeouts and four walks in 4 2/3 innings. Brent Headrick stranded three Rangers in the fifth to earn the win.
After the game, Rodriguez spoke with reporters about trusting his stuff.
“I got good stuff,” Rodriguez said. “Just trust in myself, stay in the zone and got good results.”
His debut on April 29 was a 3-0 Yankees loss at Arlington. He pitched four innings, struck out three and allowed two earned runs on four hits and four walks. Tuesday was his second start and second time facing Texas. The command issues were consistent. So was his ability to recover.
Both Yankees starts showed the same pattern. A chaotic opening. Four-plus innings of competitive work. A young pitcher learning to execute under major league pressure. The Yankees gave him two chances. They saw enough to believe there will be more.
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