Yankees Legend Left in Disbelief After His Son Wreaks Mayhem Against Diamondbacks

At the beginning of the season, speaking at Fenway Park days after a trade for his son, the Yankees legend predicted his son would be just fine. And then came Friday night, when the veteran could hardly believe what happened on the field. With the stunned stances of outfielder Alek Thoms and pitcher and reliever Jake Woodford, his son became the 11th Twins player to achieve a rare feat. Now, being on the other side of the story, Roger Clemens couldn’t hold back his emotions. 

The Twins star Kody Clemens, son of Roger Clemens, smashed three home runs in a single game and carried the team to a dramatic 9-8 comeback win over the Diamondbacks. The 29-year-old has bounced around the league and fought for stability. Then, suddenly, his 4-for-4 with five RBIs, containing a solo blast in the ninth, established a moment of pride for the Clemens family.

Roger Clemens took to social media to show his pride. “You gotta be kidding me 😂 what a night KID.” It was a rare moment for “Rocket” where he put his pride on full display for the world to see, cheering on his son as loudly as the fans at Target Field.

Kody himself shared his experience of the night, too.

“It’s wild,” Kody said. “You kind of just like, black out. I’m trying to sit here and process it at this point. Awesome day. Super happy we ended up winning that game. It was amazing,” he added. Kody also highlighted the scope that the Twins provided him. “I haven’t had that in the big leagues, and it’s definitely changed my career going forward.” And his teammates?

All of them not only celebrated Clemens’ achievement right there when the ball surpassed the ball, showing 3 fingers in the gesture of something “beautiful,” something heartwarming happened during Kody’s post-game interview with MLB.com. They showered #18 with a bucket-load of Gatorade. Cheers and smiles followed afterward…

Kody Clemens now has 19 home runs and 48 RBIs this season, with a .740 OPS. While the star’s overall batting average sits at .213, the production and power Kody has shown prove that the team’s decision to take a chance on him back in April is paying off. Baseball, as Kody himself said, is a “crazy game”—and on that night, it gave the 29-year-old star a moment that will forever connect him with his father’s legacy in a whole new way.

With such effect, it did not take long for fans to draw comparisons to another unlikely Twins hero from seasons past.

The time Clemens was considered the next Rob Refsnyder

In 2021, Rob Refsnyder became a surprise fan favorite during a bleak stretch for the Twins. Called up when the team sat at 13-24 back in spring 2021 and the entire outfield was on the injured list, the veteran played with steady production.

Over 51 games, Rob Refsnyder hit .245/.325/.338 with two homers and 12 RBI, data modest by star standards, however, invaluable for a team desperate for stability. Rob Refsnyder’s stint provided the star a second chance in the majors, and four seasons later, he has carved out a role in the Red Sox, where he posted a .280/.368/.441 line with 22 homers and 100 RBI in 258 games.

That is why Kody Clemens’ start with the Twins looks so familiar.

Like Refsnyder, Clemens arrived as a depth piece and quickly played above expectations. The star’s career line before 2025 was .220/.265/.394 across two seasons, which suggested more Quad-A than cornerstone, despite 63 homers and 204 RBI in Triple-A. Yet in the Twins, Clemens has flipped the story.

He has carried the offense when stars went down and sparked wins during a vital stretch. The “next Rob Refsnyder” tag is not just for journeyman grit; it is about becoming a glue guy whose timely production extends team success and personal career longevity.

Kody Clemens could not yet be a household name; however, the star’s breakout in the Twins has already reshaped how fans and analysts view him. Just like his father, Kody Clemens is proving he can be more than a temporary spark.