Yankees Legend's Kid Thanks God He Never Faced His Dad in His Prime

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated May 27, 2025 6:42 PM ET

Roger Clemens was one of the most feared and intimidating pitchers in baseball history. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner, and a New York Yankees legend, Clemens has clearly soften a bit in his retirement.

Kody Clemens, Roger’s son and a position player with the Minnesota Twins organization, recently shared some insights on Foul Territory about what it was like to hit against his dad in batting practice sessions. Asked if Roger ever got mad and threw a pitch too close for comfort, Kody chuckled and said, “Not really. He’ll throw a fake one at ya. Way up, not even near you.”

While he laughed it off, Kody also added that he’s lucky he never faced his dad when he was still in his prime, unlike his older brother who did in 2005. That must have been an entirely different experience.

Nicknamed "The Rocket," Roger Clemens pitched 24 seasons in Major League Baseball. After successful stints with the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, Clemens joined the New York Yankees in 1999, where he further cemented his legacy. During his initial tenure with the Yankees from 1999 to 2003, Clemens compiled a 77–36 record with a 4.01 ERA and 1,014 strikeouts over 175 appearances.

He played a big role in the Yankees' World Series championships in 1999 and 2000, notably delivering a one-hit, 15-strikeout shutout against the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the 2000 American League Championship Series. In 2001, Clemens became the first pitcher in MLB history to start a season 20–1, finishing with a 20–3 record and earning his sixth Cy Young Award. Controversies surrounding alleged performance-enhancing drug use have kept Clemens out of the Baseball Hall of Fame, but he was invited back to be an instructor at the Yankees' spring training this year.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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