Max Fried’s sudden trip to the IL forced a massive rotation change for the Yankees. To fix the gap, the team banked on 22-year-old prospect Elmer Rodriguez. However, the rookie pitched a short game on Sunday against the Mets, which in turn exhausted the bullpen. His short start and the defeat at the hands of their rivals forced the Yankees to rethink their strategy.

Just hours after Aaron Boone said the youngster would get one more start, the franchise reversed the decision. They optioned Rodríguez back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“Boone said yesterday that Elmer would get one more start, but now he gets optioned… would mean he can’t come back up for another start unless they IL someone,” Max Mannis from Jomboy Media posted on social media. 

The decision came after a disappointing Subway Series. The Yankees lost game two against the Mets. Then came the heartbreak in game three. The Yankees were up by 6-3 at the top of the 9th, but a three-run homer off David Bednar tied it in the bottom of the inning. The Yankees’ bullpen fell apart, and the Mets ended up winning the game 7-6 to clinch the series 2-1. And it is 22-year-old Rodríguez facing the music now.

The Yankees’ original plan for the series finale didn’t involve Elmer Rodríguez. But when ace Max Fried was put on a 15-day IL, Boone and the front office chose not to disrupt the remaining starter schedule. Hence, they plugged in Rodríguez from Triple-A just before the third game. Rodríguez pitched 4.1 innings. He gave up five hits, one run, and one strikeout, leaving him with a 4.15 ERA. He allowed the Mets to tie the game 1-1 in the fourth inning. The Yankees later scored five runs in the top of the sixth to take the lead, but the relievers could not hold it.

Since Rodriguez was pulled early, the relievers had to cover about five innings. They surrendered six runs and lost the game for the New York Yankees. The team needs a fresh arm in the bullpen after the brutal defeat. So, they optioned Rodríguez to the minors and signed reliever Yovanny Cruz to the active roster to help eat up innings.

According to insider Bryan Hoch, Boone promised one more turn for Rodríguez after he managed a 59.3% strike rate in Saturday’s game.

But now the manager has gone back on his word. And being optioned means Elmer won’t be back in at least 10 days. Well, unless the Yankees put someone else on the injury list again. Taking a U-turn on their No. 2 prospect on the MLB pipeline isn’t highly appreciated by a part of the Yankees Nation.

Boone has a history of abruptly sending young arms like Jhony Brito and Deivi García back to the minors when the bullpen needs immediate, fresh relief.

However, the Yankees might have a different plan this time around.

Yankees may be prioritizing stability over patience

The Yankees have lost seven of their last nine games. They have surrendered the top spot and seem to be struggling with a 28-19 record. Sunday’s defeat was a bit too much to digest. That’s probably the reason the front office is making some tough decisions. 

But there is some good news as well. Gerrit Cole is expected to return to the roster after his long absence due to Tommy John surgery last year. He has shown some good form during his rehab. 

The 2023 AL Cy Young winner threw 86 pitches, managing six strikeouts and allowing just one run last Saturday in Triple-A. His fastball also hit 99.6 mph. Last week, Boone said that Cole might go through two more minor league games before rejoining the active roster. However, it looks like the recent turn of events regarding Fried has changed the manager’s mind.

Boone admitted on Monday that the Yankees are discussing whether to skip Cole’s final rehab start and have him debut on Friday against the Rays. “We’ll see,” Boone said. “We’re kind of talking about that here today, tomorrow, and we’ll make a call one way or the other.”

This indicates that the Yankees no longer have room for experimentation. Rodríguez has had only three starts this season and managed only six strikeouts from 13 innings. Before the top-100 prospect becomes an ace, it might be too late for the team to ensure a playoff spot. 

That fear is what’s pushing them towards bringing in Cole early. The Yankees’ bullpen had to absorb a lot of late-inning damage in the last game. And they allowed 6 runs. Elmer Rodríguez was pulled after only 4.1 innings. That is not an ideal outing for a starter. Cole is a proven arm and can reduce the burden on the relievers. 

While the fans are emotional about the harsh treatment of a young star, the franchise is making a calculated decision with bigger goals in mind.