This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Off-days are precious throughout a grueling 162-game Major League schedule, which is why Carlos Rodón appreciated the robust turnout when the foundation bearing his name recently hosted its third annual Willow Gala in Brooklyn.
Numerous Yankees teammates showed up with their significant others, dressed to the nines to support the Carlos Rodón Foundation -- chaired by the pitcher and his wife, Ashley.
“I always tell my teammates, you guys don’t have to give us anything,” Rodón said. “You already give us your time, which is big for us. They donate bats and stuff; some guys give money, and that goes way beyond. We’re grateful to them. We’re up front about it: ‘It’s not for us.’”
For the second consecutive year, the Yankees have nominated Rodón for the Roberto Clemente Award, Major League Baseball’s top honor for players demonstrating exceptional character, community work, and philanthropy on and off the field. Fans can vote here for this year’s winner through Sept. 27.
Founded in 2024, the Carlos Rodón Foundation and its Willow Fund provide financial assistance and resources to couples facing infertility and pregnancy complications. Their focus is on expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other fertility treatments.
“Carlos is just a class act,” said the Yankees’ Ben Rice. “Having been playing with him now for a couple years, he’s just a total pro, on and off the field. To see what he and Ashley have done with this foundation, it has been remarkable. We love celebrating it every year.”
The impressive turnout for the Aug. 24 gala also included Cody Bellinger, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Trent Grisham, George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones, Aaron Judge, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Austin Wells, among others.
“I think we’re doing something right,” Rodón said. “We don’t do this for awards. This is something that impacted us at a young age, and it’s something that we wanted to do. We're just grateful for the support that we have, not only from the Yankees, but our teammates, the people of New York and our family.”
The Rodóns endured two miscarriages before welcoming their first child, Willow, in July 2019. They now have three children, with Bo and Silo joining the family in subsequent years, but the heartbreak of infertility never left them.
Recognizing the significant expenses associated with IVF treatment, the Rodóns made it their mission to help.
“When we went through it in 2018, people didn’t talk about infertility,” Ashley Rodón said. “I felt very alone, and Carlos was like, ‘There’s nobody that really understands what we’re going through.’ It wasn’t until we started talking about it that we had friends -- people we played with -- who were like, ‘Hey, we’ve been through that. We’re here for you guys.’”
As of this month, the foundation has awarded $715,000 in grants to 60 families across 17 states, with 34 families currently in treatment. There are 15 babies on the way, and four Willow Grant babies have been born.
“To be able to help give somebody a family, I really don’t think there’s anything better you can do for somebody on this planet,” Ashley Rodón said. “I’ve gotten emails from Yankees fans who are like, ‘We’re going through this right now. It’s really cool to see you guys pushing to make a difference. We feel seen.’”
The gala surpassed its $1 million fundraising target, and in only three years, the event has raised more than $1.8 million.
“It takes a lot of work,” Rodón said, “and a lot of the work is done by Ashley and the people that help us. We have quite a bit of money to give out grants now. We’re giving people the opportunity to have children or start a family, so we’re not scared to ask someone, ‘Hey, please help us out here.’ We’re very fortunate.”