Carlos Rodon signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants worth $44 million ahead of the last season. Despite a successful first season, Rodon decided to opt for the contract and entered the free-agent market. Naturally, the Yankees, who are on a mission to build a strong offense, saw an opportunity and decided to grab it with their whole heart. After multiple meetings and discussions, the Yanks formally announced the sign-in of Rodon.
Rodon signed a long six-year deal with the Yanks, who wanted to strengthen their offense for the upcoming season. Yankees general manager, Brian Cashman, has now come out to speak about the acquisition and also revealed a few things. He praised Carlos and said they had to work hard to get him on board.
Brian Cashman Admits Initiating Talks With Giants To Acquire Carlos Rodon In A Trade
Carlos Rodon’s decision to opt out of the San Francisco Giants contract came out as a shock to the fans. The pitcher had a successful year with the Giants in 2022. Still, he opted out and entered the free agent market. Moreover, the Yankees lured Carlos Rodon with a lucrative contract and brought him on board. However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has now revealed the club had already tried once to acquire him last summer.
Cashman stated they had set eyes on Rodon for a while. Hence, the club decided to approach Giants for a trade in the summer. However, San Francisco naturally refused. Furthermore, the GM praised the 30-year-old and called him an elite starter. Cashman further added that Rodon himself wanted to be with the Yankees, and hence they initiated a deal that would benefit both parties. Brian concluded by saying the team needed someone to shed the workload of Gerrit Cole. And Carlos Rodon is a perfect fit. He will play second behind Cole on the roster.
“I know that this is where he wanted to be,” says Brian Cashman
Injuries Creep In The Yankees Starting Pitching Rotation
The New York Yankees had a clear mindset of building an offensive roster for the upcoming MLB season. And they did just that. After acquiring Carlos Rodon, the club retained Frankie Montas and confirmed his position in the starting rotation. However, weeks before the spring training, Montas is out with an inflamed shoulder and will sit out for at least a month after the opening day. That leaves out a hole in the 5th position of the rotation.
Along with the pitching issues, the Yankees have their left field wide open. The Bryan Reynolds trade is unlikely to go ahead this off-season owing to the Pirates’ ridiculous ask. Moreover, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone hinted at Aaron Hicks starting for the Yankees in the left field if they fail to acquire any new face in the free agent market.