Boone’s ode to Carlos Rodon’s 15-win mark: ‘He’s worked his butt off’

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After a rough Saturday marred by communication issues and pitching woes, the Yankees bounced back with a composed performance on Sunday. While Gerrit Cole had described the previous game as frustrating, Carlos Rodon delivered a solid outing that helped stabilize the team.

Carlos Rodon pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on six hits and two walks, effectively containing Rafael Devers and the rest of the Red Sox lineup. Backed by steady offensive production, including Aaron Judge’s 53rd home run, and a strong bullpen effort, the Yankees secured the win. 

With the victory, Carlos Rodon improved to 15-9 on the season, recording five strikeouts during his time on the mound. Along with five relievers, the pitcher managed to keep the Red Sox offense at bay, holding them hitless in nine opportunities with runners in scoring position. This allowed the Yankees to grab an early lead in the second inning, which they maintained throughout the game.

Carlos Rodon’s most significant challenge came in the fourth inning, when Devers singled and Tyler O’Neill capped a nine-pitch battle with a deep hit to left, cutting the Yankees’ lead to 4-2. However, that would be as close as Boston would get, as Carlos Rodon and the bullpen expertly navigated through potential trouble for the remainder of the contest.

The Yankees pitcher turned in a strong performance, picking up his 15th win of the season despite giving up a home run to Tyler O’Neill in the third inning—his fifth homer allowed in four starts. Still, Carlos Rodon largely kept the Red Sox lineup in check, exiting after 88 pitches in the sixth inning following a leadoff double, just shy of earning a quality start.

This outing was in line with Carlos Rodon’s recent consistency. It marked the seventh time in his last 10 starts that he held opponents to two runs or fewer over at least five innings. Over this stretch, he has posted an impressive 3.18 ERA in 56.2 innings, with 74 strikeouts, providing a much-needed boost to the Yankees‘ push for the AL East title.

Boone extols Carlos Rodon’s journey to 15-win milestone

Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised Carlos Rodon’s ability to make key pitches in critical moments, emphasizing the pitcher’s improvement over his last 11 starts, during which he’s posted a 3.26 ERA. Boone credited this turnaround to Carlos Rodon’s focus and health, noting that his dedication both on and off the field has been key to his recent success.

Boone elaborated on Carlos Rodon’s disciplined routine, highlighting his commitment to physical conditioning, mound sessions, film study, and recovery work. Comparing the lefty’s approach to “chopping wood,” Boone applauded his relentless effort and perseverance, which have clearly begun to pay dividends for both the pitcher and the team.

“Health and I just feel like tremendous focus on,” The Yankees manager told about Carlos Rodon’s turnaround this season, “You know whether it’s game day and he’s pitching, whether it’s the work in between. Again, it goes back to the end of last season like he’s been. Locked in. He’s worked his butt off. He’s had a really strong process, you know, from from his physical training to his mound work to his classroom work to his. You know Recovery routines. He’s just done a good, great job of just putting the blinders on and. Chopping wood, if you will, like and and you know he’s getting rewarded for it.”

Yankees bullpen stands by Carlos Rodon

In the sixth inning, with Connor Wong on third base and one out, manager Aaron Boone turned to his bullpen, which responded with a series of standout performances. Ian Hamilton was the first reliever summoned and promptly struck out both Trevor Story and Danny Jansen, stifling the Red Sox’s scoring opportunity. This was the start of a dominant 3 2/3 innings from the Yankees’ bullpen, which has been exceptional recently, posting a stellar 1.16 ERA over their last ten games.

Tim Hill entered the game in the seventh inning with a runner on first base and quickly induced a double play to end the frame. Clay Holmes followed with a scoreless eighth inning.

In the ninth inning, Jake Cousins faced a challenging situation with two runners on base. Tommy Kahnle was brought in to secure the win and delivered by inducing a game-ending double play off Jarren Duran.

The bullpen’s strong showing was a key factor in the Yankees’ 5-2 victory over the Red Sox, providing a sharp contrast to what Boone had described as one of the team’s strangest days of the season. The game, played under sunny skies at Yankee Stadium, was enjoyed by 45,552 fans.

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