The Yankees will start Elmer Rodríguez against Chase Burns on June 21, 2026 after pushing Gerrit Cole back. The game goes off at 1:35 p.m. EST, with the matchup now centered on a Yankees starter who has been handed the ball for a new look at Reds ace Chase Burns.
Yankees Rotation Shift
Pushing Cole back changes the immediate pitching plan for the Yankees and gives Rodríguez the start instead. That is the practical shift for this game: the Yankees are asking a different arm to handle a Reds lineup that already beat them 10-2 on June 20, 2026.
The move comes after a dominant win on Friday night left the Yankees still in position to win another series, even though Saturday turned into a rout. The swing from one result to the other is the part that matters most here, because the club now has to answer with a different starter against Burns.
Chase Burns, Elmer Rodríguez
Burns arrives as the named opponent on the other side of the matchup, and the Reds ace is the one the Yankees have to beat to steady the series. Rodríguez gets the assignment in a game that now carries more weight because the rotation order has already been altered.
Spencer Steer’s three-run homer was part of the 10-2 loss, and shaky defense fed the damage that followed. Cam Schlittler’s 13-strikeout display the previous night showed the Yankees had already delivered one overpowering performance in the series, which is why the shift away from Cole is so visible in the middle of it.
June 21 at 1:35 p.m. EST
The immediate question is whether Rodríguez can hold the line long enough for the Yankees to turn Friday’s dominance back into a series result. At 1:35 p.m. EST on June 21, 2026, the answer starts with his first inning and whether Burns lets the Reds keep control of the matchup.
