His is not a big name. Those hoping for Seranthony DomÃnguez may have to wait a little longer. But the New York Yankees have nonetheless quietly added another arm to their pitching depth by signing Yerry RodrÃguez, a former reliever for the Toronto Blue Jays, to a two-year minor league deal.
RodrÃguez, 28, is on the road to recovery, and is not going to pitch any time soon. He underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year and is targeting a midseason return in 2026, hence the second year on the contract. His deal with New York reflects the fact that the Yankees are not expecting him to contribute immediately, but they view him as a reclamation project who might provide bullpen value down the line.
To do so, though, Rodriguez will have to not only get healthy, but get better. In his MLB career thus far, he has been lit up.
Rodriguez’s Spluttering Career
In his limited major-league career, RodrÃguez has pitched to an 8.17 ERA over 36.2 innings, with 33 strikeouts and 19 walks. Much of that work came during previous stints with the Texas Rangers, where he posted a 7.11 ERA across three seasons, as well as in his brief, rough stint with the Blue Jays in 2024.
During his time in Toronto, RodrÃguez struggled in just 4.1 innings, posting a 15.43 ERA and giving up ten hits. Not retained following the 2024 season, Rodriguez moved on to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, but tore his right elbow before spring training, and missed the entire 2025 campaign.
That said, RodrÃguezâs minor league track record remains solid. Across eight minor league seasons, he has maintained a 3.56 ERA, and in Triple-A, while the ERA spiked, he consistently struck out more than 28% of the batters he faced. Rodriguez throws a fastball that averages in the upper 90s – the pitch that gets him attention – and pairs it with a mid-80s slider and a changeup, showing swing-and-miss potential when his command is on.
Yankees Still Need More, Obviously
Although time is running out for Rodriguez to break through into the big leagues, multiple franchises have now felt there was something worth incubating. The Yankees, it would appear, are betting on his upside rather than his current production. Aged 28 already, that upside is not huge. But on a minor league contract, nor is the cost.
Rodriguez will not be in the mix for a bullpen role to start the 2026 season. But if he stays healthy, he could force his way into the conversation later in the year as a hard-throwing arm who, if he finds MLB-level command, could boost a bullpen that always needs depth.
None of the above removes the Yankees from the race for multiple other bullpen arms. They also have a couple of the premium free agent relief arms on the market in the forms of Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, even before any external additions. And they have already made one move, bringing back swingman Ryan Yarbrough on a one year, $2.5 million contract.
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