It was just the kind of stat line Carlos Rodón wanted in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series: nine strikeouts, no freakouts.
He went into the night hoping to finish six innings. He did so, in the process inducing 25 swings and misses—the most by a New York Yankee in the postseason since Statcast began tracking such things in 2008. He retired 11 Cleveland Guardians in a row at one point and, other than a solo home run in his last inning, he allowed only one runner as far as second base. The Yankees’ 5–2 win never felt even that close.
