What the Yankees Need From Carlos Rodon Moving Forward

The New Yankees are about to get one of their horses back in Carlos Rodon. Here's what he needs to do to help the club down the stretch.

Carlos Rodón will have a lot to prove to the Yankees when he returns to action. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It looks like the Yankees' rotation will be whole again sooner than later.

One of the main pieces of the puzzle, the big southpaw, Carlos Rodón, is on his way back up to the big club. Credit to Elmer Rodríguez for keeping the Yankees afloat in both games he started against the Rangers—one of which he faced the legendary Jacob deGrom—, but for now, he'll have to wait for his next opportunity at the big league level.

It's clear that while the Yankees have, statistically, had the best rotation in baseball, what they were getting from their fifth starters wasn't sustainable over the long haul. Luis Gil lost his ability to strike batters out, and Rodríguez is still a little green.

The Yankees demoted Elmer Rodríguez to Triple-A after his latest start. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Of course, most teams would do just about anything to boast the league's best rotation. If their five starters were their biggest issue, and they had four horses ahead of them, most around MLB would be content and would believe themselves to have an embarrassment of riches. Especially if their rotation had a 2.77 ERA and was considered the best in baseball.

The thing about the Yankees is they aren't like most teams. They have championship aspirations, and, in Yankee years, a World Series, last won in 2009, is a lifetime ago.

If Rodón is going to be a key part of the rotation, he must pitch well enough to help with those goals.

Carlos Rodon must prove he can still pitch like his old self

It's safe to say that, even if Rodríguez was dominant in both starts and didn't struggle in either, he would still be on his way down to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Rodón will have to eclipse the combined 5.79 ERA of Rodríguez and Gil.

That shouldn't be hard if he lives up to what he did the last two seasons.

After a cataclysmic start to his Yankees career in 2023, Rodón has stabilized in a big way, posting a 3.50 ERA in his next 370.1 innings. 2025 was his best season yet in New York. He had a 3.09 ERA and had a career-high 195.1 innings.

New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) throws during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

It would be impossible to touch close to 200 innings this year, but if Rodón has an ERA in the threes again, the Yankees would gladly take it, especially if he's mowing down batters at the rate that he has in his career. That means general manager Brian Cashman wouldn't have to worry about adding another starting pitcher before the trade deadline, allowing him to focus on other areas of need.

Of course, some may see his most recent start as a cause for concern.

Rodón pitched 6 1/3 innings in Scranton and struck out four, but he allowed five earned runs and two homers. In a lot of ways, though, those rehab starts are just glorified spring training innings. He may have been working on something. Either that or he's rusty.

In each instance, it's fine. If Rodón has to knock off the rust, then so be it. The bigger picture is how the Yankees will end the year, not just settle for being the best team in the first third of the season.