Kody Clemens, Roger Clemens' Son, Set To Make Major League Debut With Detroit Tigers
"I don't have to live up to what he did," Kody Clemens said of his pitching great pop after being called up from the minors.
AP
LOADINGERROR LOADING
DETROIT — Kody Clemens, the 26-year-old son of seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, was brought up by the Detroit Tigers on Monday for a possible major league debut.
Roger Clemens planned to be at Comerica Park on Tuesday, when his son could make his debut.
“He’s scrambling and trying to figure out when he’s going to fly here,” Kody Clemens said after Detroit’s 7-5 win on Monday. “He loved it. He was like `You’re a big leaguer, kid.’”
Advertisement
Roger Clemens holds his son, Kody (age 7), during a 2004 press conference.
Brett Coomer via Getty Images
Clemens was assigned No. 21, which his father wore with Boston from 1984 to 1996 and with Toronto for the following two seasons before switching to No. 22 with the New York Yankees and Houston.
“Obviously, I’m trying to create my own career path here, but to wear his number is awesome,” Kody Clemens said. “Luckily, we always say that I’m glad I’m a hitter, not a pitcher, so I don’t have to live up to what he did. Half a career as his is unbelievable.”
Kody Clemens in a game for the Toledo Mud Hens on May 8.
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Advertisement
Detroit recalled the infielder/outfielder from Triple-A Toledo of the International League and put outfielder Robbie Grossman on the 10-day injured list because of a strained neck.
Clemens is expected to start in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader against Minnesota, when right-hander Cole Sands is slated to be on the mound for the Twins.
A third round pick in the 2018 amateur draft, Clemens was hitting .283 at Toledo with eight homers and 31 RBIs in 45 games. Drafted as a second baseman, he has played first, second, third and left this season.
“As soon as we got A.J. (Hinch) a couple years back, he took me into his office and just said, `Hey, do you play anywhere else?’” Clemens said. “I was like, I really played a lot of third in college. I’ll play third base, outfield, wherever you want.”
Kody Clemens takes a swing for the Toledo Mud Hens in a May 8 game.
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Advertisement
Detroit needed depth because of Grossman’s injury and Miguel Cabrera’s bad back.
Roger Clemens was an 11-time All-Star who won 354 games in a major league career from 1984-2007 and struck out 4,672, third behind Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson.
Among the players implicated in the 2007 Mitchell Report, Roger Clemens denied using performance-enhancing drugs. In 2012, he was acquitted of charges he lied to Congress when he denied allegations of PED use.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
