Yankees' Elmer Rodriguez Could Get One Final Chance Before Trade
· Yahoo Sports
The New York Yankees entered the 2026 MLB campaign loaded with pitching talent in their farm system, but as is the case with prospects much of the time, it hasn't really panned out.
Carlos Lagrange struggled between the starting rotation and the bullpen at Triple-A before being sidelined with a shoulder issue. Ben Hess has had difficulty pitching deep into games and is now on the injured list himself.
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Then, there is Elmer Rodriguez, who has been terrific in Triple-A, but has labored in each of his big-league call-ups this season.
Rodriguez has pitched to the tune of a 2.59 ERA at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, allowing just 77 hits over 97.1 innings of work while averaging 9.2 strikeouts per nine frames. His walk rate (4.3 BB/9) has been an issue, but he has managed to pitch out of trouble.
The right-hander's time in the majors, though, has been a different story.
Through four big-league starts in 2026, Rodriguez has surrendered nine runs on 19 hits across 17 innings. He has walked 11 batters while striking out just 10. That has resulted in an alarming 1.765 WHIP and a 0.91 K/BB ratio.
It's been a small sample size, sure, but Rodriguez's stuff hasn't translated all that well to the majors just yet, and considering he doesn't possess overpowering velocity and relies more on his command than anything else, the fact that he sometimes loses the strike zone certainly poses problems.
But now, with Ryan Weathers and Max Fried both on the injured list,Rodriguez may get one final chance to prove himself with the Yankees in 2026.
New York Yankees pitcher Elmer Rodriguez. Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.New York hasn't announced anything yet, but promoting Rodriguez back to the Show seems to be a very possible scenario. That is, of course, unless the Yankees decide to roll with a bullpen game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
But considering that New York's pen is taxed as it is, Aaron Boone would probably like to avoid that.
The Yanks did recently sign Justin Topa, who could ultimately serve as an opener and then potentially hand the ball off to Ryan Yarbrough. But the Yankees could also simply bring Rodriguez back to the majors to give him another shot.
For Rodriguez, it could also represent his last chance to prove himself before being used as trade bait this coming offseason.
New York doesn't have the surplus of minor-league pitching talent that it had going into the season. It dealt Henry Lalane at the deadline (for Heliot Ramos), and again, Lagrange and Hess have both been disappointing. So has Bryce Cunningham, who was actually viewed by some as the team's best pitching prospect but owns a 4.71 ERA in High-A ball.
For that reason, the Yankees may be a bit pickier about trading from their stash of young arms. But if Rodriguez continues to falter when called upon, Brian Cashman and the front office may have second thoughts about his future in the Bronx.
That's especially if New York falls victim to another early playoff exit this October.
Rodriguez is a top-100 prospect in baseball, but he doesn't have the nasty stuff of a Lagrange. And the fact that he sometimes can't throw strikes is concerning.
We'll see if the Yankees decide to allot another opportunity for Rodriguez this season and if the 23-year-old can answer the call.