Carlos Rodon is a Bulldog with an Arsenal of Pitches to Match
We knew it was in him. It was just a case of mind over matter. Carlos Rodon, the emotional whirlwind, has finally channeled his fury and, in this stretch of six starts, has learned to control it. It is also the culmination of two years of developing the slider and changeup to his fall ball arsenal. He has become a well-rounded pitcher, and the results reflect the story of the most improved player in MLB.
The Subway Series matchup with Juan Soto and the New York Mets saw the Yankees favored in only one of the three games. The other two were up for grabs, most felt. What we got instead was a display of five gritty innings of work in a win to set the tone for the series. He has made it possible for the Yankees to win two of three with ace Max Fried going in the finale tomorrow. There were points he could have caved in. However, that was the past. Those were the days of frustration and a glut of home runs on the tab of a two-pitch pitcher whose main pitch failed him consistently. Today, Rodon has established himself as a reliable number two after a string of impressive performances. He has given the team length, averaging six innings a start and a 3.17 ERA. The Yankees, along with Fried, now possess a pitching one-two punch to rival any duo in MLB and have cushioned the blow of losing Gerrit Cole for the season.
What is often lost in the euphoria of success is that Rodon reinvented himself. He had a horrible first season in New York. He made it a point to add pitches to his arsenal. He lived on a 90-plus high fastball and a slider. Rodon recognized he needed more weapons to miss more bats. He started using an underutilized curve and an occasional sinker. It was the changeup that he worked on tirelessly. He entered this season feeling confident that he could feature it more. He missed bats with it to such a degree that in 2024, he led MLB in strikeouts with the changeup. “The slider is still going to be his calling card,” Aaron Boone pointed out, but I think the changeup is really good now.”
The advantage is three pitches thrown from the left-hand side with arm angle hidden until the last minute. The curve, sinker, and slider come from the same angle as his high fastball. The curve, slider, or four-seam fastballs are perfect setups for his change. He is no longer predictable, and these pitches are down in the zone for the most part, which is effective with the Yankees’ improved defense. Rodon's confidence grows when he knows that his mistakes will not always result in runs. Oswald Peraza nabbed a line drive down the third baseline, and Paul Goldschmidt had an over-the-shoulder catch of a fly ball that threatened to find a hole in right field in the fifth. The home runs given up are lower for a change. He is now looking like the pitcher they thought they were getting when they spent $162 million over six years in 2022.
Rodon gave up only two hits and one run. He did struggle with command at times, giving up four walks. However, he did strike out five, which brings his totals to 72 in 59 innings. His pitching arsenal has brought Rodon an average of seven strikeouts a game. It was enough to secure a quality start, something that has become a welcome habit. Rodon is a bulldog mentally and physically now. He has matured a lot and, armed with multiple weapons, has that gleam in his eye knowing he is in control of his destiny whenever he takes the mound. He has kept the Yankees in the thick of contention and a division lead.
