Elmer Rodriguez Must Make the Most of His Next Start as Yankees' Reinforcements Near

There was good and bad in the 22-year-old's MLB debut, but what happens next is up to him.

Elmer Rodríguez's next outing will say a lot about what his Yankees future will look like. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Elmer Rodríguez finally made his long-awaited MLB debut earlier this week when the Yankees visited the Rangers at Globe Life Field. Although early nerves got the better of him and New York eventually lost the game, Rodríguez's potential was on display as the game progressed, leaving Yankees fans hopeful that the best is yet to come.

Rodríguez's ongoing call-up stems from Luis Gil's departure from the starting rotation after the veteran righty struggled throughout April. While the 22-year-old's arm was needed to help the Yankees' shorthanded unit, reinforcements are looming as injured hurlers Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole get healthier with each passing day.

On Friday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told NY Daily News Sports' Gary Phillips that Rodón's next rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre could be his last, potentially putting him in a spot to rejoin the rotation next week. Meanwhile, Cole will likely make another start with High-A Hudson Valley on Tuesday.

Aaron Boone said it's possible Carlos Rodón only makes one more rehab start. The plan is for him to pitch on Tuesday in Scranton.

Gerrit Cole's next expected rehab start will be Tuesday with Hudson Valley. #Yankees

— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) May 1, 2026

With Rodón and Cole potentially rejoining the starting rotation before May ends, Rodríguez doesn't have a ton of time to solidify his spot with the Yankees. Fans didn't expect him to last long in the Majors this time around; however, a strong effort in his next outing is needed if he wants another call-up in the near future.

• Update (Saturday, May 2 at 1:07 p.m): Another positive update—freelance MLB reporter Julian Guilarte reported that Rodón and Cole were throwing the ball together in the outfield ahead of Saturday's clash with the Orioles.

All eyes will be on Elmer Rodriguez's next start

Rodríguez's Yankees debut was a mixed bag, lasting 80 pitches across four innings. The first and second frames were bumpy, but he eventually settled in from there. Things became unglued when he allowed three consecutive Rangers to get on base to start the fifth inning before Josh Jung drove in two of his teammates off a single, ending Rodríguez's day.

He finished his debut with two earned runs on four hits with a quartet of walks issued, striking out three batters while hitting another.

Elmer Rodriguez had some bright spots in his debut, but there's still plenty of room for improvement. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Since he just faced the Rangers on Wednesday, it will be another few days before Rodríguez. Ryan Weathers and Max Fried will face the Orioles this weekend before Cam Schlittler pitches the finale on Monday. Nothing is set in stone yet, but a look at the Yankees' probable pitchers schedule shows that the Puerto Rican hurler will likely face Texas (again) next week, this time at the comfort of Yankee Stadium.

Hopefully, Rodríguez has a stronger effort against the Rangers, assuming he faces them. There isn't a big margin for error, especially when the Yankees' reinforcements are as close to returning as they are.

Carlos Rodon, Gerrit Cole are close to returning

Yankees fans are thrilled with how well Rodón looks amid his ongoing rehab. The three-time All-Star southpaw looks close to MLB-ready as he strikes out minor-league batters left and right, accumulating 12 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings pitched between two Double-A and High-A appearances. He's also allowed only one earned run, good for a 0.93 ERA.

In other words, it's easy to see why the Yankees would be ready to welcome Rodón back with open arms if he can put together another strong rehab performance to start next week.

Carlos Rodón’s second rehab start:

5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO, 75 P pic.twitter.com/VVuEtU6EXx

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 1, 2026

The Yankees always expected Cole's return to happen after Rodón's, so he'll likely need a couple more minor-league outings before he gets the thumbs up. He currently sits at a 5.02 ERA through three starts (14 1/3 innings) after allowing seven earned runs and four homers so far, all while he averages a lukewarm 6.3 Ks per nine innings. Still, his outlook can quickly change if he strings together more encouraging performances in the coming weeks.

Regardless, it's clear that Rodríguez doesn't have much time to make his case. Rodón and Cole will be back in the mix within a few weeks, leaving the up-and-coming pitcher with one—maybe two—games to show manager Aaron Boone what he can do. If he can't capitalize on that opportunity, it might be later in the year before the Yankees give him another look.

Fortunately, Rodríguez showed enough positives in his brief MLB debut to leave Yankees fans feeling hopeful that the best is yet to come. He can prove that optimism is valid next week, and what happens after that will be up to him.