Saturday was a boring game that Carlos Narvaez will forever remember.
The 23-year-old catcher made his major league debut in the Yankees’ 9–1 loss to the Rays, entering the game as catcher in the top of the ninth inning and recording his first career at-bat and hit, a single to left field in the bottom of the inning.
Narvaez, who signed with the club from Venezuela in 2016, retrieved the ball and said he was giving it to his father, who “must be crying right now,” Narvaez said with a smile.
Moments later, Narvaez himself fought back tears as he spoke about his father.
“He’s my hero,” Narvaez said. “He’s been with me since I was a little kid. He was my first coach when I was about 3 years old. He’s been with me all this time. I’m just overwhelmed with emotions right now.”
Narvaez, who is the cousin of former Mets catcher Omar Narvaez, said his phone is already filled with congratulatory text messages and videos.
His family will be in town on Sunday, but only his wife was able to watch the game.
Anthony Rizzo said he will get a second X-ray on his fractured right arm “in the next couple weeks and we’ll go from there.”
He has not had imaging since the injury at Boston on June 16.
The exact date when he will return to the team has yet to be decided.
Ben Rice has generally performed well in Rizzo’s absence, but had a poor showing on Saturday, going just three for 32 at-bats.
He hit a double as the leadoff batter in the bottom of the first inning.
Left-hander Josh Maciejewski was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Saturday’s game. He pitched the final three innings, giving up two runs.
The Yankees will likely have to call up another pitcher in relief on Sunday.
Right-hander Cody Morris was transferred outright to SWB.
Scott Efros remains at Triple-A as he recovers from Tommy John surgery and subsequent back surgery he underwent in December.
Boone said Efros is close to returning to the major leagues for the first time since 2022.
The manager added that the right-hander is regaining the form he had when he was acquired from the Cubs just before the trade deadline two years ago.
Another factor was that Efros still had minor league options remaining.
“Both,” Boone said. “I want to see him get back to the level he was at before. [elbow] The chances of recovery from the injury are low, and [roster] It’s also about numbers.”
Clark Schmidt said his first bullpen outing on Saturday since going on the disabled list in late May with a latissimus dorsi injury went well. He’s aiming to return for the final game and will likely pitch a few more times before facing real hitters.
Juan Soto’s production so far this season is the best of a 162-game season, and when asked if that’s due to him batting in front of Aaron Judge, Boone said, “That’s contributed to it, but it’s also a product of a 25-year-old who is a great hitter, a young man who has already accomplished a lot in the baseball world but is still growing as a player.”
JT Brubaker won’t be on the mound again anytime soon.
The right-hander, acquired from Pittsburgh in March, suffered an oblique injury in his return from Tommy John surgery and will be out for up to a month, according to manager Boone.
