NEW YORK– Welcome to the Bronx. This past Thursday morning, with his wife, children, parents, and in-laws alongside him at Yankee Stadium, Carlos Rodón was officially introduced in Yankee pinstripes.
The 30-year-old left-hander will wear number 55 for the Yankees, cultivating one of the top starting rotations across the game — surrounded by Gerrit Cole, Rodón, Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino, and Frankie Montas.
As discussed in, Yankees sign former LatinoMVP Carlos Rodón for $162 million, New York added a bulldog-like competitor, whose arsenal is dependent on a ferocious fastball/slider duo paired to a wicked curveball/changeup mix.
Rodón – 2022 Pitching Breakdown with Percentages
4-Seam Fastball: 61.2%
Slider: 31.1 %
Curveball: 5.7%
Changeup: 2.0%
“He’s got an elite fastball, an elite slider,” said Yankees GM Brian Cashman on Rodón. “That really makes it difficult on opposing offenses, no matter how good of an offense you are. And he’s one of the extreme competitors in the game.”
Let's get it rollin', Rodón 👊@Carlos_Rodon55 🔥 pic.twitter.com/t4IEmGg3ZC
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) December 23, 2022
Though Rodón is a man of very few words, as he revealed with a laugh in the beginning of his presser, he appeared thrilled and excited for the road ahead, thanking everyone who played a part into where he is today.
The following is a transcript of Rodóns introductory press conference with his thoughts on several topics.
What does signing with the Yankees mean to you?
CR: “Yeah, I mean, a historic franchise. We all know the names that have been in the pinstripes. As a little kid, living a dream, it’s kinda hard not to put on the pinstripes. I guess the dream is fulfilled. There’s still more to the story and I think my teammates would say the same. That we would like to be World Series champions. And that’s in the cards.”
Though you experienced the postseason briefly with the White Sox, how much are you looking forward to hopefully pitching in October baseball with the Yankees?
CR: “The brief experience I had with the Chicago White Sox, don’t get me wrong, they are a great organization — Took a while to put a winning product on the field, so that brief taste, you know I’ve always wanted more.”
“Winning has been at the top of my list as a player. As we know it’s the Yankee way.”
We heard earlier that this is where you wanted to be. What is it about New York and this challenge that drives you, that makes this the right choice?
CR: “I’ve always enjoyed pitching at Yankee Stadium; it seems like I have good numbers here. So I figured that was the first part. And just putting on these pinstripes is something special. A lot of legends have been through this organization, so there’s a lot of history here.”
Rodón Career Statistics at Yankee Stadium
In 4 Starts: 3-0 record, 2.16 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 25 innings
Thoughts on joining a rotation with Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas. What excites you about the group and what do you bring to it?
CR: “I think our rotation is really deep. You look at the backend with Frankie Montas. I had the pleasure of playing with Frankie, with the White Sox organization. Very, very hard worker and a good person.”
“You look at the rotation from top to bottom, obviously Gerrit anchoring it. We got a lot of good arms. Then the mix and match with me and Nestor in there, we can throw two lefties in there and break up the righties. I think it’s very good.”
From non-tendered a few years ago, you fast forward to today, agreeing to a $162 million contract. Describe the obstacles you had to overcome and the work you put in to get here?
CR: “I had a great support system starting with my wife and my family. I think the day we had our daughter, it put a lot into perspective for me. It helped me become the baseball player I am today.”
“There’s a lot of people that doubted me and a lot of people that supported me, so I can’t take that away from the people that helped. It’s a special day and there’s more to come.”
Image Credit: Daniel Budasoff/Latino Sports
With Rodón and the Yankees officially finalizing a six-year/$162 million contract, the next step on the southpaws agenda? Gearing up towards the 2023 season, October baseball, and potentially multiple World Series appearances.
“I signed here because I knew that every year, I was gonna have a chance to win a World Series,” Rodón said. “So that’s why I came here.”
“That’s what I signed up for. Bring on the pressure.”
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Robert Rizzo writes for Latino Sports
Follow on Twitter: @RobertRiz994
Email: RobertRiz994@gmail.com
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