The New York Yankees followed a similar trend in 2022 that they have experienced frequently in recent seasons. They dominated during the regular season, finishing as the number two seed in the American League, but struggled in the playoffs, barely getting by the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS before getting swept by the Houston Astros in the ALCS. In 2023, new star pitcher Carlos Rodon wants to change that.

The Yankees handed Rodon a huge six-year, $162 million deal in free agency this offseason, and it's clear he's going to play a big role for them in their starting rotation while working alongside Gerrit Cole. Rodon is aware of the criticism surrounding the Yankees recent inability, but he believes that if New York's beefed up rotation can go out and deliver every fifth day, that they will be able to win a lot of baseball games this season.

With Cole and Rodon leading the way, plus Nestor Cortes looming as the third starter, it's clear that the Yankees have one of the best starting rotations in the entire league, with Rodon even noting this is the best rotation he's been a part of in his career. But just because they should win games on paper doesn't mean that they will actually win those games; they still have to go out and deliver.

Rodon has a lot of faith in the Yankees as a whole, saying that the rotation will also be getting a lot of support from the lineup throughout the season, which absolutely mashed for much of the 2022 season. We all know that New York hasn't had much postseason success recently, but Rodon's comments here are very encouraging, and with Spring Training underway, it's clear the Yankees aren't going to let their previous playoff woes define them in 2023.