New York Yankees’ newest addition, Carlos Rodon, spoke about his MLB journey ahead of the new season.
The Bronx Bombers were ousted in the ALCS last season due to a weak defense. The team struggled with defense throughout the tournament. Hence, this off-season, the New York Yankees front office came up with a clear mindset. They started out by looking for a strong pitcher in the free agent market and discovered three options, Carlos Rodon, Justin Verlander, and Jacob deGrom.
After enough contemplation, the Yankees decided to sign ex-White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon. The southpaw was offered a six-year contract worth $162 million. The 30-year-old has created a buzz around him ever since the Yanks front office termed his onboarding as a pivotal movement of the off-season. Meanwhile, ahead of the opening day, Rodon sat down for a one-on-one chat with New York Post and spoke about his struggles and challenges.
Carlos Rodon To Focus On Durability This Season
While acquiring Carlos Rodon, the main aspect New York Yankees’ front office took into consideration was the former’s age and health. Carlos is indeed young, but his health has been a point of concern for the last few seasons. The 30-year-old had to undergo Tommy John surgery in 2019, which derailed his growth. Carlos made a comeback quickly but kept dealing with injuries frequently.
During an interview with New York Post, Carlos Rodon spoke about the biggest challenge he ever had to face in his career. Rodon responded, saying sustaining his durability has been one of the biggest obstacles with a doubt. Rodon further added he struggled with his fitness during his stay with the White Sox. Hence, over time, the pitcher focused on what worked and did not work for him to stay healthy for the whole season. Carlos also admitted his mental health went for a toss during the difficult period. However, Rodon feels grateful for all the challenges as they made him stronger and helped him reach his current stage.
“I think for me, the biggest thing was durability,” said Carlos Rodon.
Rodon Shares His Thoughts On Sharing The Bullpen With Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole
Carlos Rodon has new bullpen buddies in Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole. Speaking of Judge, Carlos said Aaron is a big guy, and when he stands in the box, you can’t miss your pitch. Rodon added that Aaron Judge is a kind of a guy who’s going to punish you if you miss, as the margin of error is almost negligible around him. Aaron Judge and Carlos Rodon are the biggest sign-ins of the New York Yankees for this off-season.
Secondly, Carlos Rodon called Gerrit Cole an exceptional pitcher. Cole, the starting pitcher of the New York Yankees, will lead the rotation for the upcoming season. Moreover, Rodon will play second to Gerrit. Further, the 30-year-old said he watched Gerrit Cole throughout his successful journey and has learned a lot. Moreover, Rodon said Gerrit is the leader of the defense as he is extremely good at what he does.