Carlos Rodon’s final game of 2023 was emblematic of his lost season.
He struggled to complete the first inning against the Royals, giving up eight runs without recording an out.
He finished his first year with the Yankees with a 6.85 ERA.
There was one bonus to this frustrating campaign.
“Obviously I was very unhappy with my performance,” Rodon said. “Going into the offseason I was just hungrier. … I was just so focused and so determined.”
Rodon is certainly pitching with a mean streak, reminding everyone why the Yankees gave him a six-year, $162 million contract.
He continued his strong season on Wednesday night, defeating his first 16 opponents in a 9-5 win over the Twins in the Bronx.
Rodon allowed two runs in six innings but struck out a season-high nine batters to post a stellar 8-2 record with a 3.08 ERA.
He’s won each of his last six starts, going at least six innings, with a 2.48 ERA over those six starts.
Over the first five innings, Rodon wasn’t hit and mixed his pitches well.
Rodon relied heavily on his slider and four-seam fastball.
Of the 100 pitches, 74 were sliders or four-seam fastballs.
He got out 16 straight batters to start the game, then Carlos Santana hit a 1-1, 96 mph fastball over the right-field fence.
This ended Rodon’s dream of pitching a perfect game.
“Obviously, in the back of my mind, I knew it was there,” he said. “I just kept pitching and tried to get through the sixth or seventh inning. I got through the sixth inning, did my job, the guys swung the bat well and we won today.”
A lot of issues arose for Rodon and the Yankees last year.
He was unable to make his debut until July 7th due to repeated injuries.
The team struggled, winning just 82 games, their fewest since 1995.
But Rodon has been playing well this season, leading the Yankees to a 44-19 record that is tied with the Phillies for the best record in baseball.
“You know, a lot of times we like to write somebody’s script, and one thing Reggie Jackson always told me is that the bat is his pen,” coach Aaron Boone said. “He can always change the story. He can always write the final story. And in sports, sports is about overcoming obstacles. … There are times in your career where you kind of get handed your lunch, but that doesn’t have to be the end of the story.”
It wasn’t for Carlos Rodon in the Bronx.
He’s creating a new narrative for himself this season.
