FORT MYERS, Fla. — When the Purple Sox acquired Carlos Narvaez from the Yankees previous to the 2025 season, it was rapidly seen as an enormous win for Boston. In only a matter of weeks Narvaez seized the beginning catcher job for himself and from there blossomed into among the finest catchers in baseball.
However because it turned out, the Purple Sox gave up a reasonably good participant within the deal too.
Since becoming a member of the Yankees, Elmer Rodriguez has developed into among the finest pitching prospects in baseball. The 22-year-old right-hander posted a 2.58 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 150 innings final season, rising from Excessive-A to Triple-A within the course of, and he now enters 2026 ranked because the No. 59 prospect in MLB in accordance with Baseball America.
He was additionally chosen to Puerto Rico’s World Baseball Traditional staff, and Tuesday evening he bought the beginning towards his former membership.
“It feels good,” Rodriguez stated. “It’s the place I began so it felt good to be right here and to compete towards some previous associates.”
Rodriguez carried out effectively, permitting one hit over three scoreless innings with two walks and two strikeouts in Puerto Rico’s tune-up for the upcoming World Baseball Traditional. Rodriguez stated it has been a dream to characterize his house island since he was a child, and getting the chance to play within the event was an enormous honor.
So far as enjoying towards the Purple Sox, he downplayed the notion that beating his former staff could be further significant, although he conceded that he didn’t see the commerce coming on the time.
“I used to be shocked when it occurred however on the similar time it’s a enterprise, it’s a part of it,” Rodriguez stated. “So you progress on and I used to be excited to go to the Yankees and I used to be excited to be there.”
If Narvaez hadn’t been scratched from the lineup with a decent again, Rodriguez possible would have gotten to face off towards the participant he was dealt for. Rodriguez stated that might have been cool, however he predicted the 2 may have loads of battles within the years to return.
“Yeah it might have been enjoyable,” Rodriguez stated. “You don’t see that usually, we play towards one another like that and it’ll in all probability be my first time dealing with him, however we’ll in all probability face one another within the lengthy finish.”
