Calhoun OK after plunking from rehabbing Rodón

NEW YORK -- Live batting practice sessions are typically relaxed affairs, performed with few observers and with the intent of helping all involved progress toward full health. Carlos Rodón’s mound exercise on Sunday at Yankee Stadium threatened to have the opposite effect.

Rodón drilled Willie Calhoun on the left elbow with a fastball during their afternoon matchup; Calhoun immediately shook his arm in pain and returned to the clubhouse, where he was evaluated by medical staff. Fortunately, Calhoun said the discomfort subsided about two minutes later. He remained in the lineup for Sunday night’s series finale against the Red Sox.

“It just hit my nerve and biceps, so I kind of had the same feeling as when I broke my [left] arm [on a hit-by-pitch in June 2021],” Calhoun said. “I was like, ‘Not again.’ It was completely numb, but I came in the trainer’s room and everything calmed down.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone called the hit-by-pitch a “scary moment.” Calhoun has been among the club’s hottest hitters, having belted a go-ahead homer in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over the Red Sox. In his past 13 games (since May 24), Calhoun is batting .310 (13-for-42) with five doubles, two homers and eight RBIs.

“He’s had a couple of serious hit-by-pitches in his career, so I think it scared him as much as anything,” Boone said. “It looks like we’ve got him in a good spot, so I think we’re OK.”

Aside from the errant pitch to Calhoun, Rodón’s 29-pitch mound session went well. The left-hander was clocked between 93 and 96 mph, according to Boone. He also faced Harrison Bader in the session, and he was seemingly tentative to work inside after hitting Calhoun.

“I was trying to stay away from Harrison, even though I seemed to drop a curveball on his foot,” Rodón said. “Other than that, the velocity was there, and I felt good.”

Rodón has yet to make his Yankees debut after signing a six-year, $162 million contract this past December.

As Rodón continues to recover from back stiffness, Boone said that he is likely to have one more live BP session -- on Thursday, a scheduled off-day -- before he can be cleared to begin a Minor League rehab assignment.

“I feel like I can get more work out of facing an opponent instead of people on my own team,” Rodón said.