Some investments feel like lost causes—until they don’t.
New York Yankees fans have been waiting two seasons for Carlos Rodon to show the form that made him one of baseball’s most feared lefties.
Now, with their ace out for the year and rotation depth thin, he’s delivering at the exact moment they need him most.
Injuries created a crisis, Rodon offered stability
With Gerrit Cole undergoing Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil sidelined with a high-grade strain, the Yankees faced an uphill battle.
Max Fried stepped up as expected, but someone else needed to anchor the rotation if they hoped to stay competitive.
Enter Rodon, finally healthy and confident, pitching like the frontline starter he was signed to be back in 2023.
He’s no longer just filling innings—he’s controlling them.
Rodon is putting together his best Yankees stretch yet
Through eight starts this season, Rodon has tossed 48.2 innings and posted a strong 2.96 ERA.
He’s limiting damage early in counts and keeping hitters off balance with a fastball-slider combo that’s suddenly elite again.
Opponents are hitting just .200 against his fastball and an absurd .109 against his slider—a pitch that’s become his out-maker.
His whiff rate sits in the 84th percentile and strikeout rate in the 91st, showing just how dominant he’s been.
Dominant outing against the Padres turns heads
Facing the San Diego Padres on Monday, Rodon turned in one of his most complete outings in pinstripes.
He pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, gave up only three hits, and struck out five without losing command.
It wasn’t just the numbers—it was the way he pitched. Confident. Calm. Commanding.
This is the version of Rodon the Yankees thought they were signing. It just took some time to arrive.
Fastball velocity is down, but effectiveness is up
One of the more surprising aspects of Rodon’s resurgence is how he’s thriving despite a slight dip in fastball velocity.
Rather than force power, he’s leaning on movement, command, and tunneling his pitches to keep batters guessing.
The slider is lethal, but his ability to mix speeds and induce soft contact is what’s changed his ceiling.
This is no longer just about overpowering hitters—it’s about beating them with intelligence and execution.
The timing couldn’t be better for the Yankees
Rodon’s resurgence comes when the Yankees can least afford more instability.
Without Cole and with Gil unavailable, the rotation has leaned heavily on arms that were never supposed to carry this load.
Rodon is easing that burden. He’s keeping the bullpen fresh, giving the offense room to breathe, and stabilizing a team that’s fighting through adversity.
There’s still a long road ahead, but if Rodon continues this pace, the Yankees may have finally unlocked the return on their $162 million bet.
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