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Carlos Rodon ran through some bumps on the road in the middle of the 2024 campaign, but to end the regular season, he started to get into a roll for the New York Yankees. However, his first start in the 2024 playoffs did not go according to plan. He lasted just 3.2 innings in Game 2 of the ALDS, allowing four runs en route to a 4-2 defeat. Thus, Rodon had plenty of motivation to turn things around in Game 1 of their ALCS clash against the Cleveland Guardians, and this time, he held his end of the bargain.
Rodon was mostly on point from the mound on Monday night in a 5-2 win for the Yankees. There may have been a few shaky moments, but he was in control for the majority of the game — with his stuff and command being on point. In six innings of work, Rodon struck out nine while allowing just three hits — putting the Yankees in a position to start off the ALCS strongly.
Yankees fans wouldn't have to look far and wide to discover the secret to Rodon's excellent Game 1 start. The 31-year-old lefty studied how the ace of the Yankees staff, Gerrit Cole, conducted himself in such a workmanlike manner during his starts in the ALDS, especially during their series-clinching 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals.
“It's just like a robot walking to the dugout,” Rodon shared, per Jorge Castillo of ESPN.
Professional athletes are very competitive. If they weren't, then they must find a new profession entirely. And in the heat of the competition, emotions boil over. During Rodon's start in the ALDS, he let his emotions get the best of him, torpedoing his performance in the process.
Thus, Rodon had to channel his inner Cole — being even-keeled was a must, and it bore fruit for him in the form of a Yankees win.
“The goal was to just stay in control, stay in control of what I can do, obviously physically and emotionally. I thought I executed that well tonight,” Rodon added.
It's not quite clear yet when Rodon will be making his next playoff start. Will the Yankees start him on three days of rest in Game 4? Or will they opt to give him his full cycle of rest so he could be fresh for a potential Game 5? Regardless, this newfound approach should help Rodon navigate the pressure of delivering under the postseason's bright lights.
Yankees start off the ALCS strongly
The Yankees are the heavy favorite to win the AL pennant and advance to the World Series. On paper, they have such a deeper roster than the Guardians. However, postseason baseball is a different animal. Thus, it was important for the Yankees to start off the ALCS on the right foot, and that's what they did — thanks in large part to Carlos Rodon's contributions.
They also did enough on offense to keep the Guardians at bay; Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton were all responsible for driving in all their runs, and the Yankees also capitalized on some pitching errors from Joey Cantillo. They will want to keep the ball rolling in Game 2 later tonight at 7:38 PM E.T.
