When the New York Yankees signed Carlos Rodon to a six-year, $162 million deal, expectations were enormous.
They envisioned him as the perfect No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole, forming a one-two punch few lineups could handle.
Instead, his debut season was a nightmare, posting a 6.85 ERA across 64.1 innings — a career low point by any measure.
Rodon rebounded in 2024 with a 3.96 ERA over 175 innings, but that was still short of his elite ceiling.
Now, in his third year, Rodon is delivering the dominant version the Yankees paid for back in 2023.
Breaking down a dominant 2025
Across 146.2 innings this season, Rodon has posted a 3.25 ERA with 10.06 strikeouts per nine — ace-level production.
His 75.9% left-on-base rate has helped him escape damage, and his ground ball rate is his best since 2019.
At 40.6%, that ground ball percentage keeps him away from the long-ball issues that plagued him early in his Yankees tenure.
Statcast loves him too, ranking in the 87th percentile in whiff rate and 83rd in overall strikeout rate.
A fastball-slider pairing finally clicking
Rodon’s fastball has been a weapon, holding opponents to a .209 batting average and generating consistent swing-and-miss.
His slider has been even nastier, limiting hitters to a .130 batting average — elite for any breaking pitch.
The combination has given him a true “two-pitch knockout,” the baseball equivalent of a boxer with a deadly one-two punch.
Opponents can guess which pitch is coming, but they rarely make hard contact against either offering this year.
Tuesday’s gem shows his maturity
Against the Minnesota Twins, Rodon started shakily but settled in to throw six scoreless frames with just one hit allowed.
That ability to reset mid-game shows growth — something he struggled with during his injury-riddled first Yankees campaign.
His pitch mix was sharp, sequencing fastballs up and sliders down to keep hitters off balance all night.
When his command and movement align like that, Rodon looks every bit the All-Star the Yankees envisioned signing.
Perfect timing for the Yankees’ rotation
With Gerrit Cole sidelined for the season after Tommy John surgery, Rodon’s resurgence has been vital for the Yankees.
He’s stepped into the staff leader role alongside Max Fried, setting the tone every fifth day and easing the pressure on younger arms.
For a team chasing October success, having Rodon pitch like this feels like finding an ace hidden in plain sight.
If this version of Carlos Rodon stays healthy, the Yankees’ rotation just might be dangerous enough to carry them deep.
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