The New York Yankees front office reportedly huddled up last week for a crucial meeting in Tampa, Florida. Apparently, issues directly related to the 2023 season fallout were extensively discussed. Moreover, according to Bob Klapisch of NJ Media, Carlos Rodon’s struggles heavily dominated the conversations.
After being wary of his injury history, the New York Yankees finally took the plunge on Carlos Rodon earlier this year. They signed him in a mega six-year $162 million contract. He was supposed to play an anchor role to ace Gerrit Cole in the starting rotation. Instead, the pitcher ended up becoming a liability. But what exactly went wrong with Rodon?
Yankees Believe Dip In Carlos Rodon’s Fastball Velocity A Big Concern
Carlos Rodon remained one of the major disappointments of the season for the New York Yankees. While battling injuries, the pitcher could only put together a total of 17 starts, where his ERA shot up to 6.85. Moreover, to make matters worse, Rodon got completely shelled in the season finale vs. Royals. He gave up eight runs without registering an out. It caught the fans off-guard as just two weeks ago, the pitcher was dominating the Pirates and Red Sox. Well, the skipper believes the root cause is the lack of velocity in Rodon’s signature fastballs. During the start vs. the Royals, his average fastball velocity stood at 91.6 MPH, much lower than his 2022 season average (95 MPH and above). “He just didn’t have the life on his fastball,” said Boone after the final game.
The dip in velocity also raises alarm bells about Carlos Rodon’s health. However, since the pitcher has not lodged an official complaint of discomfort, the Yankees won’t schedule an MRI test. Having said that, a source close to the franchise told Klapsich that the front office is definitely concerned about Rodon’s performance and will closely monitor his off-season workout regime. It’s too late now to back off from the deal, and the team feels the need to enhance the pitcher’s performance next season. As far as Carlos Rodon is concerned, he promised to work hard to build up his stamina in 2024. The pitcher added that the team is paying him handsomely to be a 33-start flamethrower. Thus, he needs to step up anyhow in 2024 to prove his worth.
Carlos Rodon Faces Backlash After Unusual Encounter With Coach Matt Blake
The final start of the season quickly turned from bad to worse for Carlos Rodon. After leaking eight runs without an out against the Royals, Rodon invited an unwanted controversy with his antics. Seeing a struggling Rodon, Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake rushed to the mound with some advice. However, the pitcher didn’t seem in a mood to hear it.
Carlos Rodon turning his back to Matt Blake and gesturing him to go back to the dugout while Blake was trying to talk to him was certainly something pic.twitter.com/HO5RirjenD
— Addison (@YankeeWRLD) September 30, 2023
What unfolded thereafter landed Carlos Rodon in hot water. As soon as Blake reached the mound, Rodon turned his back to the pitching coach, who tried to remain unfazed and continue with his job. However, after receiving much backlash from the fans, the pitcher had to issue an apology. He said he was frustrated with his own performance and kind of took it out on Blake, who certainly did not deserve that. Thus, Rodon took responsibility for his actions and expressed remorse.
