While all eyes turned to Juan Soto on a high-profile Bronx evening, it was Carlos Rodón who quietly delivered one of his grittiest and most important performances yet.
On a night when Juan Soto commanded the spotlight and the buzz echoed across Yankee Stadium, it was Carlos Rodón—stoic, focused, and quietly dominant—who held the fort. The Yankees’ 6-2 victory over the Mets on Friday night was more than just another win in the crosstown rivalry. It marked yet another chapter in Rodón’s evolution: from erratic flame-thrower to battle-tested craftsman.
Rodón’s performance wasn’t dazzling in the traditional sense. He lacked his usual sharp command, tying his season high with four walks. But three of those came against Soto, a hitter he knows all too well—and one he respects deeply. “I was trying to get him to swing and miss every time,” Rodón admitted after the game. “As he always is, he was real patient. He knows the zone and gets out of there with three walks. I wanted to get him, but he got me.” Still, Rodón wasn’t rattled. Instead, he dug in. Over five taxing innings, he allowed just one run and only two hits—both singles. It wasn’t a masterpiece, but it was mature, composed, and crucial in giving the Yankees the platform they needed to secure the win.
The art of the grind
This outing exemplified something Rodón has been steadily refining since his arrival in The Bronx: resilience when the arsenal isn’t perfect. In past seasons, a night like this—when the fastball command wavers and batters aren’t chasing—might have spiraled. But now, Rodón seems to welcome the grind. “There are days you’ve got to figure out how to get outs when everything’s not on,” Rodón reflected. “Today was one of those days. You’ve got to go out and compete. It’s part of the job.”
That competitive fire showed especially in the fourth inning. After surrendering a leadoff walk to Soto, Rodón gave up his first hit of the night—a soft single from Mark Vientos that barely made it out of the infield. That sequence could have unraveled a lesser outing. Instead, with the bases loaded, Rodón buckled down and got Luisangel Acuña to fly out, escaping the jam with minimal damage.
He threw 33 pitches in that inning alone, part of a total 102 over five innings, making this his shortest start of the season. Yet every pitch told a story of adaptation. His stuff might not have overwhelmed, but his poise never faltered.
Numbers that tell the truth
If Rodón’s stat line wasn’t pristine, it was telling in more subtle ways. He gave up just two singles—nothing loud, nothing damaging. This marked the ninth time this season he’s held opponents to four hits or fewer, the most in Major League Baseball.
That ability to limit damage has defined his turnaround. After a rough start to the season in which he posted a 5.48 ERA over his first four outings, Rodón has since strung together a six-start stretch with a sparkling 1.72 ERA. Friday’s performance only added to that impressive momentum.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the toll of the high pitch count, noting that Rodón’s final batter of the night—Pete Alonso, whom he struck out—was likely going to be his last regardless of the outcome. “He emptied the tank there,” Boone said postgame. “It wasn’t easy, but it was gutsy.”
Lessons from the past
The challenge now? Sustain the pace. Rodón’s 2023 campaign was a cautionary tale. After starting the season with a 2.93 ERA over his first 14 starts, he hit a wall mid-year, posting a jarring 9.67 ERA in his next six outings between June and July. It was a spiral that undermined his early-season promise and cast doubts over his long-term consistency.
That memory still lingers. And as the calendar edges toward June, Rodón knows the importance of avoiding a similar dip this time around. The signs are promising. His fastball velocity has remained steady, and his willingness to adapt—whether through mixing pitches more or adjusting location mid-game—has evolved. More importantly, he seems to have found a rhythm, not just mechanically but mentally. Confidence is high, and so is self-awareness. He’s no longer just a thrower—he’s becoming a pitcher, and that transformation is happening right before Yankees fans’ eyes.
A rotation pillar in the making
Rodón’s resurgence is particularly important in a Yankees rotation that has had its share of uncertainty. With Gerrit Cole sidelined and various young arms cycling through the back end of the starting five, Rodón’s consistency has been a stabilizing force. He doesn’t have to carry the load alone—but nights like Friday prove he’s more than capable of doing just that when needed. And while his duel with Soto may not have swung in his favor on the stat sheet, it showcased a respect for the game’s finest hitters and an ability to keep composure when tested. That mindset, combined with his recent effectiveness, paints a promising picture as the Yankees push deeper into the summer.
As the clubhouse settled after the win, Rodón wasn’t overly celebratory. He understands the job isn’t done—and he welcomes the work. “I’m just trying to keep putting us in a position to win,” he said. “Whether it’s pretty or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that we compete.”With outings like Friday’s, Carlos Rodón isn’t just competing—he’s cementing himself as a key figure in the Yankees’ quest for October.
