Wappingers Falls, N.Y. -- This week, two of the highest-profile Major League rehabbers in the history of the Renegades came to Heritage Financial Park, as Yankees pitchers Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón made back-to-back starts on Thursday and Friday.
But more than entertain a combined 8,440 guests at the ballpark with their pitching, they both gave high praise to the player facilities at the ballpark.
"It's wonderful, I've never seen a High-A facility quite so nice," said Cole after his start on Thursday night.
The next night, Rodón echoed his Yankees rotation-mate's sentiment: "This facility is pretty incredible ... just to have all the amenities for kids that are 20-24 years old, that's great."
The praise of two multi-time MLB all-stars is a feather in the cap of Heritage Financial Park, and is the result of a multi-year, multi-phase private-public partnership between Dutchess County and Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), the Renegades' ownership group.
Completed in 2024, the renovations of the ballpark included new new player locker rooms and clubhouse facilities for the Renegades and visiting teams, a state-of-the-art training room and weight room, new player lounges, the resurfacing of the turf field, a new outfield wall and batter's eye, and the construction of the WMCHealth Club Lounge.
Prior to the 2023 season the Renegades and Heritage Financial Credit Union entered into a community partnership for the ballpark to be re-named Heritage Financial Park.
The crowd of 4,712 which flocked to the park to watch Cole pitch against the Brooklyn Cyclones on Thursday night was the largest April crowd for a Renegades game in Heritage Financial Park history. He threw 4.1 innings, allowing five hits, two runs and struck out four without walking a batter.
Rodon followed up the next night with 4.1 innings of his own, allowing no runs on one hit while striking out four and issuing one walk.
It was a great thrill for baseball fans in the Hudson Valley, who got to see two of the best in the sport perform in their own backyard.
As they make their way back to the Bronx to help the Yankees in their quest for a 28th World Series championship, Cole and Rodón will continue to pitch in rehab games, although were is still to be determined. But no matter where that is, Heritage Financial Park played a role this week, and it left a great impression on two stars.