New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon on opening the season on injured list: "I’m here to pitch well into October and whenever this team needs me"
New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon, signed in the offseason to be the team's No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole, will start the season on the Injured List after suffering a forearm muscle strain. The Yankees announced the news on Thursday that the team's $162 million offseason signing to bolster the rotation will be shut down for at least 7-to-10 days.
The news sent shockwaves and panic through the Yankees fanbase. Not only was another potential rotation-filler in Frankie Montas lost to injury, but New York also announced that relievers Lou Trivino and Tommy Kahnle would join Rodon on the IL.
Rodón: “I’m not here to pitch ‘til the All-Star break. I’m here to pitch well into October and whenever this team needs me… Like, if it’s October 5th or it’s the ALDS, I’m taking the ball and going to pitch.” Rodón will start season on IL after suffering a forearm muscle strain. https://t.co/p3hYjVvKP0
Adding to the unsettling nature surrounding the Yankees' prized acquisition is that Carlos Rodon underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 to repair the left-hander's ulnar collateral ligament. Often "forearm muscle strain" is a symptom that points to possible ligament damage.
The 30-year-old hurler reportedly began feeling discomfort while throwing a slider before his spring training debut Sunday and told the Yankees training staff.
Rodon spoke to reporters Thursday in an attempt to quell the fear surrounding his injury announcement, noting that the move is more of an early-season precaution than foreshadowing anything more serious.
"I’m not here to pitch 'til the All-Star break," Rodon said. "I’m here to pitch well into October and whenever this team needs me. … Like, if it’s Oct. 5 or it’s the ALDS, I’m taking the ball and going to pitch."
Rodon suffered a similar injury last year while with the San Francisco Giants but still managed to make 31 starts. He posted an ERA of 2.88 with 237 strikeouts while going 14-8.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman also attempted to quell the worry, telling ESPN:
"The finding was something, but not significant or serious," Cashman said Thursday. "Obviously, trying to pitch through stuff is not a good thing, especially this time of year. If this was in-season – pennant race, late in the game – he's still probably up and running. He had this last May with the Giants, and he didn't miss any time with it."
A healthy Carlos Rodon is vital to Yankees' contention
The Yankees signed Carlos Rodon to a six-year, $162 million contract to stabilize a rotation that rests on talented, but shaky ground after Cole. Current No. 3 starter Luis Severino is just two years removed from his own Tommy John surgery. No. 4 starter Nestor Cortes went 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 2022, but that was just his first season as a full-time starter.