New York Yankees Make a Decision on ALCS Game 1 Starter

One day before the ALCS begins, the Yankees decided on their Game 1 starter.

Oct 7, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) reacts after a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning during game two of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees waited to announce their starting pitcher for Game 1 of the ALCS until their opponent was confirmed. Now that the Cleveland Guardians have advanced, the Yankees have made their decision.

On Sunday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported that left-hander Carlos Rodón will take the mound for Game 1 at home, with ace Gerrit Cole slated to start Game 2.

Carlos Rodón is starting Game 1 for the Yankees.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) October 13, 2024

Rodón, 31, last pitched in Game 2 of the ALDS, where he started strong by striking out the side in the first inning and retiring six of the first seven batters. However, he ran into trouble in the fourth, allowing four earned runs, including a solo home run to Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Pérez, before being pulled after 3.2 innings and 72 pitches, ultimately taking the loss.

He was set to start a potential deciding ALDS Game 5 for New York, but the Yankees wrapped up the series against the Royals in four games. While it could have been strategically justified to delay Rodón’s start in favor of right-hander Clarke Schmidt, who started ALDS Game 3, the Yankees ultimately chose to maintain Rodón's routine.

Cleveland boasts a league-best 29-11 record against left-handed pitchers this season, posting a .751 OPS against southpaws compared to a .685 OPS against righties.

This trend has continued into the postseason, though their performance has dipped against stronger pitching. In 80 at-bats against right-handers, Cleveland has hit just .213/.267/.325, while they have fared better against lefties, with a .253/.301/.379 slash line in 87 at-bats. Notably, Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, who won the Triple Crown and is a strong candidate for the AL Cy Young Award, had thrown 17 scoreless innings this postseason until Cleveland scored five runs against him in the fifth inning on Saturday, highlighted by a go-ahead grand slam from Lane Thomas.

Rodón does have a strong track record against Cleveland, drawing on his experience in the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox. In 21 outings (19 starts) against the Guardians, he has posted an 8-5 record with a 2.81 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 124 strikeouts over 125 innings. He has yet to face the Guardians while wearing pinstripes.

First pitch at Yankee Stadium is set for 7:38 p.m. ET on TBS. The Yankees are seeking their first World Series appearance since 2009, while Cleveland aims to return to the Fall Classic for the first time since their 2016 loss to the Chicago Cubs.