Carlos Rodon’s six distinct pitches shield Yankees from worst case scenario

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What started as a potential concern for Yankees fans — seeing Carlos Rodon take the mound after his well-documented struggles — transformed into an emphatic statement of reinvention.

Rodon, making his third consecutive Opening Day start for New York, delivered a masterful 5.1-inning outing to propel the Yankees to a 4-2 victory over Milwaukee at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. The difference this time? A completely reimagined approach on the mound.

“The scouting report on me the last few years has been four-seams up in the zone, sliders below,” Rodon said after the win. “So I think the broadening of the repertoire and adding a few other pitches that move a little different… it definitely makes it less predictable.”

Six pitches, one mission: Yankees escape nightmare

Rodon entered the 2025 campaign wielding six distinct offerings — a dramatic expansion from the fastball-slider combination that previously defined his pitching identity. Thursday’s performance showcased his full weaponry: a four-seam fastball, slider, sinker, changeup, curveball, and a developing cutter.

Strikingly, the southpaw threw just 26% fastballs, his lowest four-seam usage in nearly seven years. Instead, he leaned heavily on his slider and refined changeup, with the latter rapidly becoming one of his most potent weapons.

His 89-pitch performance featured:

• 7 batters struck out
• 4 hits surrendered
• 1 walk, 1 earned run
• 15 swings at his slider — 9 resulting in whiffs
• Nearly 50% whiff rate with the changeup

“I thought his slider was really good today,” said manager Aaron Boone. “That’s still going to be his calling card. But I think his changeup is going to be really good.”

Rodon’s transformation

Rodon’s pitching metamorphosis didn’t happen spontaneously. The evolution began last season under the guidance of Yankees director of pitching Sam Briend and then-assistant coach Desi Druschel. During the offseason, he incorporated a sinker, which made its debut Thursday and proved effective against Milwaukee’s right-handed heavy lineup.

“Just reacting to what the league’s done to him,” explained pitching coach Matt Blake. “They’re so geared up to hit the fastball. The secret is changing speeds and movement profiles.”

This expanded repertoire kept Brewers hitters off-balance throughout the afternoon. Even without his best fastball (generating zero swings and misses), Rodon’s slider-changeup combination provided enough deception to navigate the Milwaukee order successfully.

One scary moment passes without any incident

The only moment of concern came in the fourth when Rodon stumbled awkwardly while covering first base after a Sal Frelick grounder. As he tumbled to the ground, a nervous hush fell over Yankee Stadium.

Medical staff briefly examined him, but Rodon quickly dismissed the incident.

“I lost my footing and looked real unathletic there,” he joked. “I was more mad at myself than hurt.”

With the Yankees already thin in pitching depth — Gerrit Cole sidelined for the season, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil both unavailable — seeing Rodon on the ground momentarily revived unpleasant memories. However, he promptly bounced back, regained his focus, and completed his outing with the confidence the Yankees envisioned when signing him to his six-year, $162 million contract.

Opening Day performance snapshot

• Carlos Rodón: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
• Pitch Mix: All 6 pitches utilized
• Slider: 9 whiffs from 15 swings
• Changeup: Second-highest whiff rate
• Fastball Usage: Just 26%
• ERA: 1.69 (Opening Day)

Building momentum

Rodon has taken a methodical path through his Yankees tenure. After a disastrous first year and an improved second season, he appears poised in Year 3 to become the rotation anchor the team desperately needs — starting with this reimagined pitching identity.

“When you sign a big contract, there’s a lot of pressure in New York,” Blake noted. “I think navigating that first year is always a challenge. This year, he’s just been going about his business.”

If Rodon can sustain Thursday’s approach — varying speeds, disrupting timing, and abandoning predictability — he might transcend being merely a serviceable rotation piece. He could finally emerge as the frontline starter the Yankees envisioned when bringing him to the Bronx.

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