Yankees starter Carlos Rodon finds himself more exasperated than anyone else due to a season that he thinks is a “pile of s–t.” With his anticipated return approaching on Tuesday, he prefers not to dwell on the frustration stemming from his hamstring issue — which he now asserts is “completely fine” — or the multitude of challenges that have derailed Carlos Rodon’s inaugural season in The Bronx.
During the initial three-plus months of 2023, the Yankees‘ southpaw found himself sidelined due to a left forearm strain and sporadic instances of back discomfort. Carlos Rodon’s comeback took place in July, although his performance in six starts was marked by a discouraging 7.33 ERA. Unfortunately, during a match on August 6th, Carlos Rodon left early due to a left hamstring strain, necessitating his return to the injured list.
Carlos Rodon commented on Saturday, prior to the Yankees’ 8-1 loss to the Red Sox, that those issues were in the past and he had moved on from them. He expressed his frustration and dissatisfaction, stating that he was no more inclined to continue allowing five runs in each game.
He expressed his desire to avoid such situations and instead aims for an ideal scenario where everything would go smoothly.
“That’s over there. It’s behind me,” Carlos Rodon told. “I’m frustrated. It sucks. I don’t want to give up five runs every time.
Carlos Rodon facing flak for his outings
Even when he’s physically sound, Carlos Rodon’s circumstances haven’t been flawless this season. He is yet to successfully complete a full six innings during a start. The Yankees starter grappled with challenges from both opposing batters and his own lack of control, evident in his 18 walks across 27 innings.
Although the 30-year-old recently secured a substantial $162 million contract after back-to-back All-Star seasons, he’s yet to exhibit the pitcher he envisions himself to be for the Yankees and their supporters. While the injuries have been a source of frustration, Carlos Rodon acknowledges that these setbacks are beyond his control. Looking ahead, he aims to regain command over his pitches in his upcoming outing on Tuesday, as he opens the series against the Nationals.
Carlos Rodon also mentioned that the only aspect he could manage was the execution of his pitches. He admitted that despite having control over this aspect, he hadn’t been able to accomplish it effectively.
In his most recent appearance on the mound, Carlos Rodon exited during the third inning in a 9-7 loss to the Astros due to a sensation in his left hamstring. This incident led to his placement on the injured list, a decision he resisted. Just two days after experiencing the injury, Carlos Rodon reported that his hamstring felt completely fine.
Training continues despite injury
During this downtime, Carlos Rodon has persisted in his throwing routine with the intention of maintaining his readiness. Although he won’t be able to reach the 100-pitch mark, he believes throwing around 70 pitches is plausible.
While the odds are not in his favor or his team’s, Carlos Rodon holds onto the hope that both his season and the Yankees’ season will finally gain momentum. Andy Pettitte, now serving as an adviser, engaged in a recent conversation with the starter. The discussion revolved around the 1995 season, when the Yankees, despite a 60-61 record on September 5th, managed to win 19 of their final 23 games, securing a place in the postseason as the AL wild card.
Carlos Rodon expressed that there’s certainly a chance for it to happen. He mentioned uncertainty about the number of games required and acknowledged that speculating is inevitable, but the definitive outcome won’t be apparent until around October 1st.
The Yankees starter emphasized the necessity of securing victories, stating this prior to the continuation of the losing streak. Carlos Rodon emphasized the team’s need to perform well and stressed the importance of not dwelling on the past, likening it to avoiding gazing into the rearview mirror.
Carlos Rodon acknowledged that his season hasn’t been favorable, describing it as not going well. However, he expressed his intention to avoid dwelling on it and emphasized his current focus, which is directed toward the date of August 22nd.
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