Ten games in, the New York Yankees sit at 6–4. Not bad. But not good enough for fans to relax either. And while it’s too early for full-on panic, one name is already raising alarms in the Bronx: Carlos Rodón.
With Gerrit Cole sidelined for the season after Tommy John surgery, Rodón was handed the keys to the rotation. Opening Day offered hope — 5.1 innings, one earned run, seven strikeouts, and a win. But since then, it’s been downhill. And not just because of mechanics or velocity. It’s his emotions.
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Carlos Rodón needs to get out of his own head
In his most recent outing against the Detroit Tigers, Rodón was cruising — no hits through two innings. Then came a walk, a missed strike call on a full count, and a visible reaction from Rodón telling the umpire, “That’s bad.” Two batters later: a three-run homer. Just like that, a promising start unraveled.
This isn’t new. Go back to Game 2 of last year’s ALDS against Kansas City. Rodón dominated the first inning, even put on a show striking out the side. Four innings later, he imploded. The energy he brings can ignite a dugout — but when it spirals, so does his performance.
To his credit, he regrouped in Game 1 of the ALCS after a chat with Gerrit Cole. But here we are again. Rodón has now given up four or more runs in back-to-back starts, and his ERA has ballooned to 5.19.
The Yankees didn’t plan to be without Cole two years in a row. And they certainly didn’t plan on Rodón struggling to carry the load while making $27 million a season. There’s still plenty of baseball left, but the leash will get shorter if he keeps letting his emotions take the wheel.
Maybe it’s time to go back to Cole — not just for advice, but for composure. Because the Yankees don’t just need an arm. They need a leader on the mound.