ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Elmer Rodriguez got his first big league strikeout on what became a strange double play and escaped the first bases-loaded jam in the right-hander's debut for the New York Yankees on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old, among the Yankees' top prospects, pitched into the fifth inning, when the Texas Rangers loaded the bases with no outs and Josh Jung hit a two-run single that chased him after 80 pitches.
“He's ready for this. He's earned
this. Regardless of results today, he’s capable of going out there and getting big-league hitters out,” New York manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “He’s got the stuff. I think this is a kid that is going to have a long career as a starting pitcher in this league.”
Rodriguez took right-hander Luis Gil’s spot in the rotation after the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year was optioned to Triple-A following a 7-4 loss to the Astros on Sunday. That is a tweak at the back end of the rotation while Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole rehab from injuries.
Even though he threw balls on 11 of his first 18 pitches, Rodriguez got out of his first big league inning without giving up a run, getting help from that double play.
Jung signaled for a challenge of a 96.5 mph sinker on a called third strike while Brandon Nimmo, who led off with a walk on five pitches, was thrown out at second on an attempted stolen base. But there was a pause, the ABS review and a conversation among all four umpires before both outs were confirmed.
The Rangers failed to score again in the second after loading the bases when their Nos. 7-9 batters reached with two outs — on two singles and a walk — before Nimmo’s inning-ending flyout to center.
After 1-2-3 innings in both the third and fourth innings, Rodriguez opened the fifth by hitting a batter and walking another before Nimmo's infield single on a hard short-hopper not handled by first baseman Ben Rice. Jung grounded a ball through the left side of the infield for a 2-0 lead.
Rodriguez walked four and struck out three, throwing 42 of 80 pitches for strikes.
He became only the fourth pitcher born in Puerto Rico to start a game for the Yankees, the first since Javier Vázquez in 2010. Rodriguez pitched for his home country in the World Baseball Classic last month.
The only other pitchers age 22 or younger to make their big league debuts for the Yankees since 2008 were Deivi García at age 21 on Aug. 30, 2020, and 21-year-old Luis Severino on Aug. 5, 2015.
In four starts at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before getting called up, Rodriguez was 1-2 with a 1.27 ERA. He had 20 strikeouts and seven walks in 21 1/3 innings.
Drafted by Boston in 2021, he was sent the Yankees in December 2024 for catcher Carlos Narvaez.
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