Yankees Boast a Balanced Rotation With Carlos Rodón
Right, left, right, left, right.
No, that’s not the sequence for a military drill. Rather, it could be how the Yankees align their starting staff now that Carlos Rodón is joining the team.
The 30-year-old, fresh off two consecutive All-Star appearances, agreed to a six-year, $162 million contract with New York on Thursday. The deal provides the Yankees with another dominant pitcher – and equilibrium in their rotation.
With Rodón and Nestor Cortes, the pinstripers now have two left-handed starters (and pitchers with South Florida/Cuban connections). Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas, meanwhile, all throw with their right arms. That gives the Yankees the option to stack their rotation in a way that alternates handedness.
For example, one possible – or even likely – combo could go Cole (R), Rodón (L), Severino (R), Cortes (L) and Montas (R).
This may not seem like a big deal – Rodón comes with more important benefits – but balance is valuable in a big league rotation. For one, the Yankees can more easily use off days to mix and match their starters if there’s an upcoming opponent that struggles against one side. New York’s staff can also offer different looks in the most important games of the year should everyone make it to the postseason healthy.
Just the other day, Yankees front office alumnus and Mets general manager Billy Eppler said much of the same when discussing his decision to sign José Quintana. Quintana figures to be the only southpaw in the Mets’ rotation, which is also loaded.
"It's nice to provide variability and be able to attack opponents in different ways,” Eppler said. “There could be circumstances where we try to pace rest or usage kind of based on an opponent if the schedule allows and the off days allow."
Yankees starters also have some variation in their stuff. Yes, Cole, Rodón and Cortes all use their fastballs to induce strikeouts, as Katie Sharp noted, but Cortes’ low-90s heater – and tricks on the mound – plays differently than that of his power-pitching teammates. Severino is also a hard-thrower, while Montas mixes his four-seamer with a splitter and sinker.
At the end of the day, the Yankees have five talented starters, regardless of handedness or individual arsenals. With the group in place, a case can be made that New York’s rotation is the best in baseball, though Eppler and the Mets could argue otherwise.
One thing that’s certain, however, is that the Yankees have contrast in their collection of arms. Chances are that will help the team in 2023, if only here and there.
MORE:
- After Missing on Andrew Benintendi, Yankees Must Pivot to Find Starting Left Fielder
- What Signing Carlos Rodón Means For Yankees' Starting Rotation
- With Carlos Rodón, Yankees Continue Making Most of Their Financial Might
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