Elmer Rodriguez was overcome with emotion when he found out he was getting called up to The Show.
The Yankees pitching prospect, ranked No. 3 in the organization and No. 72 in baseball by MLB.com, was speechless when Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre manager and ex-Yankee Shelley Duncan informed the 22-year-old he was starting in the majors Wednesday against the Rangers, which will mark his MLB debut.
As shown in a video shared by the Yankees on social media, Rodriguez immediately put his hand on his face before clapping hands with and hugging Duncan.
“Wow,” Rodriguez said as he took his hat off. He repeated himself after a long pause while processing the news.
“Thank you, thank you. I don’t know what to say,” the right-hander added.
“Yeah, I know what you’re feeling,” Duncan replied.
“I don’t even know what to say,” Rodriguez continued. “I’m out of words right now.”
The Puerto Rico native has a 1.69 ERA in four Triple-A starts this season with 20 strikeouts and a 0.89 WHIP.
A fourth-round pick by the Red Sox in 2021, the Yankees acquired him from Boston after the 2024 season for catcher Carlos Narvaez.
Across 150 minor-league innings last season, Rodriguez pitched to a 2.58 ERA with 176 strikeouts split mostly between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset.
Rodriguez is getting a chance after the Yankees optioned former AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil to Triple-A Sunday after he gave up six runs in four innings during a loss to the Astros.
Barring performances that would force his way into the Yankees’ plans, Rodriguez is likely to make two or three starts before Carlos Rodon returns from the injured list.
