New York Yankees’ supposed rotation anchor Carlos Rodon finished the 2023 season with a 6.85 ERA across 64 innings pitched. He struggled with multiple injuries in the first half of the year. Even after debuting in July, Rodon was nowhere close to his formidable self on the mound.
Towards the end of the regular season, Carlos Rodon became an absolute villain amongst the Yankee fans owing to his uncanny antics. Regardless, with a new season on the horizon, Rodon is set to make a difference. If reports are to be believed, the Southpaw is seeking help from the best in business, Gerrit Cole, to elevate his game.
Carlos Rodon To Induct Cutters To His Pitching Arsenal For Rebound Season
The New York Yankees have high hopes for Carlos Rodon this year, and rightly so. Last year, the pitcher was left off the hook, citing a change of scenery. However, this year, Rodon has to deliver to the $30 million he is getting paid for the season. Having said that, the left-handed pitcher made the necessary transformation to his physique to avert injury scares. Moreover, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner reports that Rodon is looking forward to adding cutter variation to his pitching arsenal for the upcoming season. Notably, Rodon has never pitched a cutter in his nine-year-long major league career. But on his spring debut this year, the pitcher threw five cutters to the right-handers and was largely successful.
Kirschner further reported that Rodon is learning from none other than the ace, Gerrit Cole. Apparently, Carlos Rodon is picking up Gerrit Cole’s brains to learn how the latter used the cutter to rebound in the latter half of the CY Young 2023 season. However, there isn’t a guarantee that the Southpaw will end up using cutters regularly. He is expected to chip that pitch between fastballs and sliders occasionally, specifically against right-handers, to keep the hitters guessing. That being said, fastballs will remain Rodon’s primary weapon heading into the rebound season. Notably, Carlos’ four-seam fastball velocity dropped significantly in the second half of the 2023 season, which was a matter of deep concern for the fans. Thus, Matt Blake and the rest of the Yankees coaching staff are working towards getting the fastballs fixed before working on integrating the cutters.
“Thought It Was OK,” Rodon Satisfied With Spring Debut!
Carlos Rodon took the mound for the first time this year to make his spring debut against the Toronto Blue Jays. He threw 48 pitches across 2.2 innings and struck out five hitters in the process. After the game, Rodon reviewed his performance and said it was a moment of relief for him to witness that some swing and miss is still in his arsenal.
Besides, Carlos Rodon added that his fastball’s velocities were fine, not too good, and not too bad. “Being the first [start], I just wanted to attack the zone, tunnel some pitches, be competitive,” said Rodon. Indeed, the left-handed pitcher has shown signs of life ahead of the pivotal MLB season. A rebound season from Rodon will add a boost to the Yankees’ championship aspirations.
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