For the first time in recent memory, the Bronx Bombers are built around their pitching.
The vaunted staff features four All-Stars who are in the prime years of their careers. The newest addition to the rotation is $162 million man Carlos Rodon.
The freshly signed Yankee figures to slot in right behind Gerrit Cole and be the bridge to Luis Severino and Nestor Cortes in arguably the most dominant rotation in baseball. The southpaw recognizes the potential of this unit.
“It’s [the rotation] going to be pretty good I would say,” Rodon said Friday after completing his first throwing session with the Yanks in Tampa. “A lot of good arms, quite a few All-Stars it seems like. I think it could be something special if we all do our job and show up every five days and take the ball even though sometimes we don’t feel great, that’s just part of the game.
“If we show up and take the ball everything else will take care of itself.”
The 30-year-old is coming off of back-to-back All-Star appearances including last season with the Giants in which he registered a 2.88 ERA in a career-high 31 starts while leading all starters with 12 strikeouts per nine innings.
The Yanks made a few attempts to land Rodon as recently as last season as general manager Brian Cashman alluded to the fact that the Giants would not deal their ace at the trade deadline despite his efforts. However, even though the ink is dry on his contract, Rodon won’t feel like a Yankee until he toes the slab in the Bronx.
“I think it’s one of those things that once I throw my first pitch in Yankee Stadium in the pinstripes it’ll [feel real,]” said Rodon. “I mean It feels real [now], but I’ll feel I’m solidified and I’m in, I guess, the fraternity.”
Rodon’s agenda on Friday featured some tossing in the bullpen under the watchful eye of Cole and then threw out on the field at George M Steinbrenner Field for some live at-bats. Jose Trevino and Ben Roertverdt were among the players taking hacks with Kyle Higashioka as the battery-mate to Rodon.
Rodon over the past two seasons has developed a pitching arsenal — which was displayed in Friday’s live sessions — that has taken his game to new heights and led to back-to-back career seasons from 2021-2022 and earned a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees. He features a fastball that tops out in the upper 90s followed by a wipeout slider.
The two pitches accounted for 92.3% of his arsenal in 2022 with the Giants, mixed in with a curveball and change-up. How pitching coach Matt Blake tinkers with his arsenal is something to keep an eye on throughout the spring.
