TAMPA, Fla. – The bookends regarded just about the identical to Carlos Rodón, who backed off the mound and watched each his first and ultimate pitches of Wednesday’s outing sail over the wall in right-center area, tucked into somebody’s pockets as a memento.
In a spring when the left-hander is aiming to make everybody neglect about final 12 months, these blasts surrendered to Yandy Díaz and Richie Palacios had been less-than-ideal reminders. Rodón referred to as his efficiency within the Yankees’ 4-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Subject “a blended bag.”
“It’s a kind of days that you just’ve obtained to have the ability to pitch with out the fastball and type of use another issues,” Rodón mentioned. “That was good to really feel that, in a recreation that nobody actually offers a [crap] about, as a result of it doesn’t matter. It’s Spring Coaching.”
Rodón was charged with three runs over three-plus innings, serving up Díaz’s leadoff blast and Palacios’ two-run shot within the fourth, approaching Rodón’s sixtieth pitch of the afternoon. The hassle adopted a simulated recreation final week through which Rodón surrendered 4 house runs to a bunch of Minor Leaguers.
Spring statistics are written in pencil, however coming off an injury-marred 2023 season that noticed Rodón submit a 3-8 document with a 6.85 ERA in 14 begins, the 31-year-old says he’s utilizing the exhibition slate to regain confidence.
“I’m making an attempt to construct it again up,” Rodón mentioned. “To finish on a homer doesn’t actually assist, the final two begins, to be sincere with you. I’m looking for that confidence once more and that swagger. That’s part of who I’m on the mound.”
Rodón famous that his velocity was down on Wednesday; in line with Statcast, he ranged between 91.2 mph and 94.8 mph, averaging 93.2 mph.
Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned Rodón is wholesome, however he’ll in all probability pitch with six days’ relaxation his subsequent flip by way of the rotation, permitting him additional restoration time.
“He’s laid an superior basis this winter, coming in a greater spot [physically],” Boone mentioned. “Give attention to going to the submit each fifth or sixth day. I really feel like if he does that and retains doing the issues bodily to be able to go, the outcomes can be there. His stuff needs to be there, and we’ve seen it for essentially the most half this spring.”
As Rodón enters the second 12 months of a six-year, $162 million contract, the Yankees are encouraging him to develop his arsenal this spring. They hope to plant doubt within the minds of hitters who regarded far too snug anticipating fastballs and sliders from him final 12 months.
On the urging of catcher Luis Torrens, Rodón tossed six curveballs, 5 cutters and 5 changeups in Wednesday’s outing, whereas primarily counting on his fastball (26) and slider (18). Díaz and Randy Arozarena had been each retired on cutters within the third inning.
“I believe it’s coming,” Torrens mentioned of Rodón’s cutter. “It’s a superb pitch; good motion. We talked somewhat bit earlier than the sport. He often throws plenty of fastballs, and now with the cutter, that’s a pitch you’ll be able to take the hitters somewhat bit off the fastball.”
Although Rodón’s recreation plan will nonetheless principally be fastball-slider, Boone mentioned that the lesson he hopes Rodón will take away is that “you’re not going to have the ability to overwhelm folks on a regular basis.”
“There are going to be days, we consider, that he’ll go on the market with massive stuff,” Boone mentioned. “However you’re not at all times going to. On these days, with the ability to have one thing else you’ll be able to go to, hopefully it’s one thing that serves him nicely now and shifting ahead in his profession.”
And in that case, Rodón hopes that he’ll reintroduce himself to the Yankees’ fan base, showcasing the expertise that he flashed throughout his consecutive All-Star seasons with the White Sox (2021) and Giants (’22).
“I simply want to remain on the mound. That’s it,” Rodón mentioned. “I’m fairly good at this recreation after I’m wholesome.”
