How the Yankees Solved the Carlos Rodón Pitching Riddle

Deploying a few critical tweaks, the 30-year-old fielded an impressive and promising outing against the Red Sox.

The Yankees believe they may have unlocked something in the mechanics of Carlos Rodón, whose first 10 starts into a six-year, $162 million contract had been disastrous. In throwing five effective innings Tuesday night at Fenway Park, Rodón averaged 96.1 mph with his four-seam fastball with the longest extension of his career.

Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake says he and the staff impressed on Rodón before the start to use his lower half more efficiently and to be “more directional” toward home plate.

“It didn’t begin with seeking more extension,” Blake says. “It began with making his movements more in line toward the plate. He was spinning off his line just a bit and we wanted to get him back in line. The extension was the result of being better mechanically.”

Rodón allowed one run over five innings with nine strikeouts. Compare Rodón’s fastball from his first start to his past start and you find a major upgrade:

	MPH	Perceived Velo	Vert. Release	Extension
July 7	95.5	95.3	6.66	6.1
Sept. 12	96.1	96.3	6.33	6.5*

Notice that by using his legs more and staying more on line to the plate, he lowered his release point. He gained almost five inches in extension—that’s a huge increase, especially in season. The extra extension made his fastball look even faster to a hitter (that’s the perceived velocity; the pitch has less distance to travel), whereas the shorter extension in July had the fastball velocity playing down.

Here is what the difference looks like upon release:

July 7

 Sept. 12

In his past start, Rodón is much more over his front leg and there is less tilting of his torso toward the third base side.

“When we have looked at the metrics on his fastball and slider, they have been in line with where they were with San Francisco and Chicago,” Blake says. “They’ve been in the range where they should be. That’s been reassuring. So, is it a matter of command? Of being too predictable? We made some slight tweaks and the results are better. I know he feels really good about it and the next step is to keep building on it.”

Rodón made two other adjustments Tuesday. For one, he threw his changeup and curveball, his third and fourth best pitches, 19.4% of the time, a season high and the most in his past 51 starts. The pitches give Rodón an outside lane to righthanders, rather than relying on fastballs up and sliders down and in.

“We thought maybe he was too predictable as mainly a two-pitch pitcher,” Blake says, referring to his fastball and slider, “and that the Red Sox would be ready for that.”

The other change happened rather dramatically in the first inning, if unnoticed by most. Ceddanne Rafaela opened the game by ambushing a Rodón fastball for a home run. Rob Refsnyder doubled. Justin Turner walked. After Rodón struck out Triston Casas, Blake called time and jogged to the mound to talk to Rodón.

Refsnyder had seen 14 pitches while on second base during the Turner and Casas at bats. Blake was concerned that Refsnyder was relaying pitch information based on how he could see into Rodón’s glove. Rodón takes his signs with the baseball in his pitching hand out of his glove, then re-grips when necessary as he brings the ball into his glove in the set position.

Blake reminded Rodón to be careful with his glove position and ball security as he came set.

“It’s something we spend so much time on—all pitchers,” Blake says. “And these guys [the Red Sox] are very good if you’re giving anything away. It’s why you see not just our pitchers but most pitchers now with bigger gloves and their gloves close to the body and their hands quiet.”

Alerted, Rodón proceeded to strike out Adam Duvall and Trevor Story. After he whiffed Duvall on a fastball, Rodón turned to Refsnyder at second base and put his index finger across his lips, the universal sign of quieting someone.