Yankees activate Carlos Rodón from IL, demote reliever Kervin Castro

TL;DR

Carlos Rodón has been activated by the Yankees for his season debut against the Brewers, following his recovery from injury. To accommodate his return, Kervin Castro has been demoted to Triple-A after a brief stint in the majors.

Key points

Carlos Rodón activated for season debut against Brewers
Kervin Castro demoted to Triple-A
Rodón completed one start in High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A
Rodón's last minor league start allowed six runs in 6.1 innings
Castro covered two innings with one run allowed in his brief MLB stint

Carlos RodónKervin CastroNew York YankeesMilwaukee Brewers

TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Carlos Rodón #55 of the New York Yankees poses for a photo during Spring Training Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 17, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images The road back from injury has reached its final stop for Carlos Rodón, who was activated this morning by the Yankees on the day of his season debut against the Milwaukee Brewers, adding talent to an already stacked rotation. To make room for Rodón’s addition to the MLB roster, the Yankees will send down right-hander Kervin Castro, whose time with the big league club was short-lived. Utilizing a window in between different “starters” as Brendan Beck filled in as the bulk man in a Ryan Weathers illness-caused bullpen game before Rodón was ready for his first start, the Yankees added Castro to deepen their bullpen for a few games. Castro ended up covering two innings, allowing one run and striking out two in Friday’s shutout loss to the Brewers, and now returns to Triple-A. It was his first big-league action for any team since 2022. Moving up gradually through the Yankees’ minor league system, Rodón makes his season debut with the big league club, having completed exactly one start in High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A—the latest of these covering 6.1 innings for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders. It wasn’t the most efficient of outings, with Rodón allowing six runs, but all that matters is that he is healthy and ready to go.

Q&A

Why was Carlos Rodón activated by the Yankees?

Carlos Rodón was activated to make his season debut after recovering from injury, adding depth to the Yankees' rotation.

What happened to Kervin Castro after Rodón's activation?

Kervin Castro was demoted to Triple-A after a short appearance in the majors, where he pitched two innings.

How did Carlos Rodón perform in his minor league starts before his activation?

Before his activation, Carlos Rodón completed one start in each minor league level, with his latest outing allowing six runs over 6.1 innings.