Notes:
RHP Elmer Rodriguez pitched well enough in his debut. He had some control issues, which isn’t as unexpected as they tried to make it seem. Rodriguez owned a 9.0% walk rate in Triple-A this season, which is average-ish. It should have surprised nobody that he walked some hitters in his first start.
The fifth inning did him in. If Ben Rice wasn’t playing in, it is possible the ground ball Rodriguez generated would have resulted in a 3-6-3 double play. Instead, it went past Rice, became an infield single, and loaded the bases with nobody out. The baseball gods do that sometimes.
Jasson Dominguez‘s injury is concerning, especially since they are having him undergo further testing in New York after “inconclusive” results in Texas. I know speculation will turn to Spencer Jones coming up if Dominguez is sidelined, and that is possible.
One of the big fears about Munetaka Murakami was how often he would strike out after coming to the States. He has not eased those concerns much, with a 34.4% strikeout rate entering tonight’s action. However, he also has 12 home runs, a .366 OBP, and .574 SLG. How funny is it that Murakami has 12 home runs but no other extra-base hits?
This is not to say that Jones would come up and do something similar. However, one can at least imagine Jones squaring up some balls and putting them in the bleachers. A 7-game homestand could be a tempting spot to place him in.
None of this matters if Dominguez is fine and ready to play on Friday. However, it is fun to think about as a possibility.
Scranton (15-12)
Their game against Buffalo was postponed due to rain. They will try to play a pair on Friday.
Somerset (9-14) (Split a doubleheader against Portland)
Game 1 (Won, 13-1)
DH Jackson Castillo: 1-for-3, 2B (2), 2 R, BB
CF Jace Avina: 1-for-4, HR (5), RBI, R, K
2B Marco Luciano: 2-for-4, HR (7), 3 RBI, R
1B Coby Morales: 2-for-2, 2B (7), 4 R, 2 SB (6), 2 BB
3B Tyler Hardman: 3-for-3, 2B (6), RBI, 2 R, SB (2), BB
LF DJ Gladney: 1-for-4, RBI, R, K
RF Kenedy Corona: 2-for-3, 2B (3), 2 RBI, R, SB (7), BB, K
C Abrahan Gutierrez: 2-for-4, 2B (1), RBI, R, K
Gutierrez compiled only two extra-base hits (double, home run) in 32 games last season.
SS Owen Cobb: 1-for-3, 3 RBI, CI
RHP Cade Smith (W, 1-1): 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, HR
5.30 ERA (18.2 IP, 18 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 5 HR, 8 BB, 22 K). Entering today’s action, Smith was struggling.
RHP Matt Keating: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Game 2 (Lost, 6-5)
LF Jackson Castillo: 2-for-3, 2 R, BB
Castillo has started his 2026 campaign with a 6-game hitting streak (9-for-20; 2 doubles, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, 1 K). He struggled in 23 games after being promoted here in 2025.
SS Anthony Volpe: 2-for-4
Volpe is 10-for-33 (.3o3) during his rehab stint.
DH Jace Avina: 2-for-4, 2B (4), HR (6), 3 RBI, R, 2 K
.184/.259/.474 in 85 PA. He had zero home runs through eight games (six in 12 games since).
RF Garrett Martin: 1-for-3, HR (5), RBI, R, CS (2), BB
His overall offensive game hasn’t been great, but he has 19 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 121 Double-A games.
2B Marco Luciano: 1-for-3, K
.299/.368/.649 in 87 PA. Luciano hit 23 home runs for Triple-A Sacramento last year but hit only .214/.335/.413. The reason for some focus on him is his past prospect status and the fact he is only 24 years old.
1B Coby Morales: 0-for-2, BB, K
.320/.416/.613 in 89 PA (7 doubles, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 21 R, 6-for-7 SB, 14.6% BB, 29.2% K). The .422 BABIP is not sustainable, but there is no denying how good he has been this year.
3B Tyler Hardman: 1-for-3
CF Kenedy Corona: 0-for-2, R, HBP, K
C Manuel Palencia: 1-for-3, K
RHP Gerrit Cole: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
60 pitches/45 strikes. Tonight’s “home runs off of Gerrit Cole” shoutouts go to Johanfran Garcia and Max Ferguson.
RHP Eric Reyzelman (L, 1-1): 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Of course, he would have a tough outing after I proclaimed increased optimism. Season: 3.60 ERA (10 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 18 K)
Hudson Valley (14-8) (Defeated Jersey Shore, 5-4, in 11 innings)
2B Kaeden Kent: 0-for-5
Kent’s hitting streak is snapped at nine.
SS Core Jackson: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, R, 2 CS (4)
Jackson gets the average back over .200 (.215). The key to his future is whether he can develop any offense at all.
1B Kyle West: 0-for-3, HBP, BB, 2 K
C Eric Genther: 1-for-4, R, HBP, K
3B Roderick Arias: 1-for-4, RBI, BB, K
Arias walked to score the highly important fifth run.
RF Wilson Rodriguez: 0-for-4, BB, K
1B Josh Moylan: 1-for-5, 2B (3), RBI, CS (1), 2 K
Moylan was caught stealing as the ghost runner with nobody out in the 10th. That doesn’t sound like a good thing. Thankfully for him, his teammates picked him up in the 11th.
CF Camden Troyer: 1-for-4, R
LF Connor McGinnis: 0-for-2, R, BB, K
LF Cole Gabrielson: 0-for-1, R, K
Dramatic 4th run, this was not. Gabrielson, as the ghost runner, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
RHP Luis Serna: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K
I am always scared when Serna leaves a game mid-inning, but nothing to fear as he was up to 95 pitches. He lowers his ERA to 2.05 in 22 IP (11 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 0 HR, 6 BB, 24 K).
RHP Brady Kirtner: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Brandon Decker: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Wilmy Sanchez : 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
After a pair of appearances with Somerset, Sanchez was sent here. As a reminder, he is the player the Yankees acquired for Braden Shewmake.
RHP Yerry Rodriguez (W, 1-0): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Jack Sokol (S, 1): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Tampa (10-13) (Swept a doubleheader against St. Lucie)
Game 1 (Won, 7-6)
CF Luis Durango: 1-for-3, SF, 2 RBI
3B Kevin Verde: 0-for-0, R
DH Jackson Lovich: 1-for-4, HR (3), RBI, R, 2 K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-4, 2B (6), R, K
C Engelth Urena: 1-for-4, RBI, R, K
LF JoJo Jackson: 0-for-3, RBI, CI
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 1-for-4, RBI, K
Martin-Grudzielanek increases his hitting streak to five (9-for-20).
RF-CF Willy Montero: 1-for-3, R, 2 K
1B Hans Montero: 1-for-2, 3B (3), R, SB (5), BB, K
3B-RF Santiago Gomez: 1-for-2, 3B (1), RBI, R, HBP
RHP Mac Heuer: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
The 21-year-old makes his professional debut. There’s some hype surrounding him, and he maxed out at 97.2 MPH (averaged 96.2). Additionally, his cutter (his most featured pitch) averaged 93.6, and he generated 12 whiffs (cutter: 4; curve: 4; slider: 3; 4-seamer: 1). He is a big kid (6’5″, 265) who was drafted in the 8th round of the 2025 draft (Texas Tech).
RHP Bryce Warrecker: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
2026 debut for 6’8″ 24-year-old who was drafted in the 20th round in 2o23 (Cal Poly). The Yankees moved him to the bullpen in 2025, where he pitched well (2.05 ERA in 57 innings with 35 hits allowed and a 61/13 K/BB for Hudson Valley). He will return to Hudson Valley (or perhaps go to Somerset) once his rehab stint is complete.
RHP Jose Martinez: 2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR
LHP Parker Seay (W, 2-0): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Game 2 (Won, 7-4)
SS Jackson Lovich: 0-for-2, R, BB, K
.227/.311/.455 in 74 PA. The power is nice, though he owns a 31.1% K.
2B Enmanuel Tejeda: 1-for-4, R
Tejeda has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games (16-game on-base streak)
CF Brando Mayea: 2-for-3, 2B (4), 2 RBI
.219/.296/.315 in 81 PA.
DH Engelth Urena: 0-for-2, R, BB, K
.167/.333/.242 in 84 PA. Yes, it is concerning that his slugging percentage is .315 in 110 games at this level.
LF Willy Montero: 2-for-3, 2 HR (3), 3 RBI, 2 R
Montero’s first career multi-HR game (he only has 17 home runs in 310 career games). One of his blasts traveled 430 feet.
C Ediel Rivera: 1-for-2, 2B (2), 2 R, BB
1B Hans Montero: 3-for-3, 2 2B (5), 2 RBI, SB (6)
Doubleheader: 4-for-5, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 RBI, R, 2 SB. He is hitting .311 with a .917 OPS.
3B Kevin Verde: 1-for-3, K
RF Santiago Gomez: 1-for-3
RHP Ty Boudreau: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K
4.50 ERA (14 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 HR, 6 BB, 20 K). Boudreau generated an impressive 14 whiffs, including seven on 13 swings with his slider.
RHP Matthew Tippie: (W, 2-1) 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HR
LHP Jose Ledesma: 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K