On Sunday, New York Yankees’ newly acquired starter Carlos Rodon struggled in his spring training debut. Rodon’s first appearance on the mound with the Yankees came during a 10-6 victory against the Braves, and he didn’t perform well. In fact, his was the lowest performance by any pitcher who took the mound in that game.
Carlo Rodon gave up five earned runs on five hits, including two long balls, in two innings and this was enough for manager Aaron Boone to take him out. The starter has not allowed more than five earned runs and was there at least for four innings since pitching for the San Francisco Giants on August 29.
The top five batters in a powerful Braves lineup all rounded or reached the bases. The only consolation for Carlos Rodon was that that the game didn’t count. He was aware of it and acknowledged the lesson after the Yankees’ 10-6 victory.
“Thank goodness it’s spring training,” Carlos Rodon was quoted saying by Erik Boland of Newsday Sports. “I don’t like losing. I tried to tell myself that I paced myself and made some pitches, and then I got humbled a little bit. So I kind of needed that. I got the work in that I needed, so it’s one of those things where I’ll just look forward to the next one. Hopefully, I can put together results plus execution and be better than that.”
It wasn’t exactly the first impression the 30-year-old starter had hoped for. Carlos Rodon was the team’s second-biggest winter acquisition, after the $360 million deal for captain Aaron Judge.
“Fortunately, this game doesn’t count, so that’s good,” Rodón said. “But I won’t be talking like this when it’s April 1. Trust me.”
On Sunday, Carlos Rodon’s fastball was between 91 and 95 mph, and he said that he was too excited in the first inning to find a good pace. Ronald Acua Jr. hit an infield single and stole second base before Matt Olson hit a two-run home run that went over the right-field wall and landed on the concourse.
Carlos Rodon got two outs before hitting Michael Harris II with a pitch. Harris then stole second base. Manager Aaron Boone went up to Rodon between innings to tell him not to throw faster than he was ready to.
Carlos Rodon’s disappointment was compounded by the fact that Ronald Acuna and Michael Harris II didn’t allow the seasoned starter to hold them back. Rodon struck out the bottom of the order in the second inning but was unable to retire a batter in the third. He was inclined to “stretch back and throw harder” to the following batter after Acua doubled. Boone’s words of warning resonated in his head.
This led the Yankees manager to send a word of encouragement to the newest face on his rotation.
“I don’t feel like he’s going to impress us March 5,” Boone said. “My message (was to) stay in your mechanics and execute and you’ll get to that spot.”
Last season, Carlos Rodon made a career-high 31 starts for the Giants and went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA in 178 innings.
Because Nestor Cortes is being worked slowly back from a right hamstring strain, Boone said the Yankees’ season-opening rotation against the Giants will be Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Severino, followed by either Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt, and Cortes in the fifth spot.
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