Notes:
Promoting Elmer Rodriguez to pitch against the Mets tomorrow makes sense. Interestingly, however, it sets him up to start Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. While the Mets’ series is fun, I am looking more at the seven upcoming games. The Yankees struggled against the Jays last year and were swept by the Rays earlier this year. While an 8-2 record against the Red Sox and Orioles eases the “they can’t beat AL East teams!” mantra, these are the seven games everyone is going to judge them by: The team that beat them by a tiebreaker (then beat them in the playoffs) last year and the team that is matching their hot 2026 start, regardless of run differential.
Scranton (22-20) (Lost to Syracuse, 6-2, in ten innings)
SS George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-5, 2 K
Will Lombard earn another hit before his 21st birthday (6/2)? He is in a 1-for-24 slide, though I could say he is in a 7-for-55 slide since joining this level.
RF Yanquiel Fernández: 1-for-5
2B Marco Luciano: 1-for-5, K
3B-1B Oswaldo Cabrera: 1-for-4
DH Seth Brown: 0-for-4, 2 K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr.: 1-for-3, R, BB
PR-LF Kenedy Corona: 0-for-0
C Ali Sanchez: 1-for-4, HR (5), 2 RBI, R, 2 K
LF-3B Jonathan Ornelas: 1-for-3, SB (2), HBP
CF Duke Ellis: 1-for-4, 2B (4), 2 K
RHP Gerrit Cole: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Cole is going to be chomping at the bit after this start. He reached 99.6 MPH (averaged 97) and generated 13 whiffs (seven with his changeup). The plan has always been for him to make one more rehab start after this one, but I bet you anything he is already on the phone with the front office.
RHP Yerry de los Santos: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Carson Coleman: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Coleman blew the save, meaning Cole denied him the $10,000 post-game spread.
RHP Rafael Montero (L, 0-1): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
RHP Yovanny Cruz: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Cruz has allowed exactly one run in five consecutive appearances, raising his ERA to 3.00. On the plus side, he passed Cole for the fastest pitch of the night (100.4).
Somerset (19-19) (Defeated Binghamton, 12-3)
LF Jace Avina: 1-for-5, R, 3 K
Avina has a 6-game hitting streak and a 16-game on-base streak. While there are things to be excited about (the power, especially), he does own a 31.2% strikeout rate.
CF Garrett Martin: 1-for-4, HR (13), 2 RBI, R, BB, 2 K
.268/.331/.577 in 157 PA (5 doubles, 13 HR, 29 RBI, 27 R, 8-for-12 SB, 7.0% BB, 20.4% K). Martin has homered in back-to-back games and is one away from tying his personal best for home runs in a season.
RF Jackson Castillo: 1-for-5, 2B (4), R, 2 K
3B Tyler Hardman: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 R, K
As of this writing, Hardman’s 32 RBI leads the Eastern League.
1B Coby Morales: 2-for-4, 2B (8), 2 RBI, 2 R
Morales has been slumping lately, so maybe he is starting to find it again. His 30 RBI are fourth in the Eastern League.
DH DJ Gladney: 2-for-3, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
.330/.380/.515. The 24-year-old is having his best professional season, though it is only 26 games.
C Miguel Palma: 1-for-4, HR (2, GS), 4 RBI, K
2B Duncan Pastore: 1-for-3, 2B (3), R, CS (1), BB
SS Owen Cobb: 1-for-3, RBI, R, BB, K
LHP Kyle Carr: (W, 3-4) 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, HR
Bend don’t break. Carr owns a 5.73 ERA in 33 IP (36 H, 22 R, 21 ER, 3 HR, 17 BB, 37 K)
RHP Ben Grable: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
One of the best early-season stories has a hiccup.
RHP Eric Reyzelman: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Reyzelman is humming. He owns a 3.12 ERA in 17.1 IP (10 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 2 HR, 4 BB, 32 K). An 8/1 K/BB ratio works, especially when it was 1.07 in 2025.
RHP Kelly Austin: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Hudson Valley (18-19) (Lost to Frederick, 6-3. The 24-13 Keys are putting on a clinic against the Renegades, winning the first five games in this series.)
SS Kaeden Kent:1-for-5, R, K
DH Eric Genther: 0-for-5, K
DH Kyle West: 2-for-4, HR (6), RBI, R, 2 K
.211/.263/.373 in 152 PA. West has homered in back-to-back games and has four home runs in his last six games. He was hitting .168/.217/.248 after games of May 8th.
LF Wilson Rodriguez: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, BB
.239/.382/.345 in 148 PA. It’s amazing what can happen when a BABIP starts to normalize. While he isn’t hitting for much power, he is 16-for-48 (.333) in May with ten walks and ten strikeouts. He has an equal number of walks and strikeouts this season (27).
2B Roderick Arias: 0-for-5, 3 K
Arias is hitting only .200, as any remaining prospect flame is burning out.
3B Enmanuel Tejeda: 0-for-3, BB
Since promotion: 2-for-17 with a home run and three walks.
C Josue Gonzalez: 0-for-3, BB, K
LF Josh Moylan: 1-for-4, 2 K
CF Cole Gabrielson: 1-for-3, R, BB, K
RHP Sean Paul Linan (L, 1-4): 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
3.90 ERA (27.2 IP, 23 H, 14 R, 12 ER, 3 HR, 8 BB, 37 K)
RHP Brady Kirtner: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
RHP Aaron Nixon: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Nixon’s first appearance since 2024. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State in 2023 (he also spent time pitching for the University of Texas). In 2024, pitching for Tampa, he compiled a 5.40 ERA over 61.2 innings with a 63/48 K/BB. He is strictly a reliever, as he didn’t make any starts in college.
RHP Jackson Fristoe: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Tony Rossi: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
1.26 ERA (14.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 22 K)
RHP Jack Sokol: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
1.42 ERA (12.2 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 14 K)
Tampa (19-19) (Defeated Dunedin, 10-4)
SS Jackson Lovich: 3-for-3, 2 RBI, 3 R, SB (8), 2 BB
Lovich has a 12-game hitting streak (19-for-49 (.388); 2 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs). He is hitting .304 with a .985 OPS (8 doubles, 2 triples, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 24 R, 8-for-10 SB, 11.4% BB, 29.5% K). The strikeouts are a little high, but he should get to Hudson Valley sooner rather than later.
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 1-for-3, SF, RBI, R, K
1B Hans Montero: 2-for-4, 2 2B (8), RBI, 2 R, BB
LF Luis Puello: 1-for-5, 3B (2), RBI, R, 3 K
Puello has four hits since his promotion: A double, two triples, and a home run. As for playing left field, Puello has always been more than a catcher. He has 12 starts at first base, 14 in left field, and 28 in right field in his professional career.
RF Willy Montero: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
C Engelth Urena: 2-for-5, RBI, R, K
DH Ediel Rivera: 1-for-4, CS (1), BB, 2 K
CF Luis Durango: 2-for-5, RBI, SB (11)
Durango’s rehab stint is over. The Yankees decided to keep him here rather than place him in Hudson Valley. He is hitting .356 and has 11 stolen bases in
2B Santiago Gomez: 0-for-4
LHP Henry Lalane: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Lalane being hittable is not good. He owns a 6.30 ERA over 20 innings with 23 hits allowed and a 20/12 K/BB. We need to start seeing consistent results.
RHP Jose Martinez: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
RHP Brian Arias: (W, 2-3) 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Arias, who owns a 10.47 ERA, hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last three appearances (5.2 innings).
LHP Parker Seay: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
FCL Yankees (6-5) (Lost to the 10-1 Blue Jays, 11-7. Scheduled for seven innings, they overcame a 6-0 deficit by scoring six in the bottom of the 7th, only for the Jays to score five in the top of the 8th)
“Is it hard to take Rookie League performance seriously?”
Yes. However, you don’t get out of the rookie leagues by playing poorly. So the value is in playing well enough to earn a coveted spot on a full-season roster.
3B Richard Matic: 0-for-2, R, SB (7), CS (1), 3 BB, K
Matic has reached base safely in all 11 of his games (.310/.453/.405; 20.8% BB, 16.98% K).
RF Wilberson De Pena: 1-for-4, HR (3), 3 RBI, R, SB (5), BB, 3 K
.390/.457/.756 (4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 9 R, 5-for-8 SB, 8.7% BB, 23.9% K). He leads the FCL in RBI.
DH Queni Pineda: 0-for-1, R, SB (3), 4 BB, K
.161/.381/.258 in 42 PA.
2B Leni Done: 1-for-4, R, 2 K
.341/.408/.488. He is second in the FCL with 13 RBI.
C Justin Capellan: 0-for-2
C Carlos Rondon: 0-for-2, 2 K
SS Dexters Peralta: 0-for-2, R, SB (4), 2 BB, 2 K
LF Estivenzon Montero: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 SB (3), K
CF Isael Arias: 1-for-4, R, SB (1), 2 K
1B John Cristino: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB, K
RHP Sabier Marte: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
LHP Marco Manzano: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
RHP Rafael Arias: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Jorge Luna: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Enixon Sanchez (L, 0-1): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
RHP Kevin Verde: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Needing to use a position player to get the final two outs didn’t help the comeback effort.