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Carlos Rodón's explanation for velocity issues won't provide Yankees fans with much clarity

Should the Yankees be concerned about Carlos Rodón?
Pat Ragazzo
Pat Ragazzo

Yanks Go Yard

Sep 16, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) reacts to a call by umpire Edwin Jimenez (75) going the Minnesota Twins way in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pitching has been a major strength for the New York Yankees this season, particularly starting pitching. But the Yankees have dealt with numerous pitching injuries with Max Fried (two stints on the IL), Carlos Rodón (two stints on the IL), Ryan Weathers (currently on the IL) and Fernando Cruz (currently on the IL) all going down at certain points of the season. Not to mention, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt missed time this year while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Rodón didn't make his season debut until May due to offseason surgery.

So it remains to be seen whether the Yankees' pitching staff will be able to hold up for a deep postseason run. And on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins, Rodón initially gave Yankees fans cause for concern.

Rodón's concerning dip in velocity vs. Twins

Rodón's fastball velocity was down in the low-90s across the first three innings of his most recent start in Minnesota. The left-hander threw some fastballs at 90 mph to begin the game and averaged 92.6 mph on the pitch, as opposed to his season average of 94.4 mph.

Luckily, Rodón was able to crank things up in his final three innings of work, throwing a number of pitches above 95 mph afterwards. This likely made the Yankees and their fans breathe a sigh of relief for the time being. But Rodón's explanation after the game won't give fans much clarity.

Rodón's explanation

According to Gary Phillips of The New York Daily News, Rodón told reporters that he was dealing with tightness at the beginning of his start, but was able to get loose as his outing progressed. Rodón didn't specify where he was feeling tight/whether it was localized or if he was just trying to say he felt a generalized sense that he couldn't break through the way he wanted to.

So while it's good news that Rodón was able to shake it off after the third, the Yankees should still be worried about his overall durability with the postseason around the corner. Rodón is slated to be the Yankees' No. 4 starter in the playoffs behind Cam Schlittler, Cole and Fried. They will have to hope that his tightness doesn't come back in his next start or in the postseason or snowball into something worse.

As aforementioned, Rodón was out until May of this season after undergoing surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow last October. He also dealt with a hamstring issue during his rehab. In addition to his initial IL stint, Rodón missed over a month and a half of action from Jun. 28 to Aug. 18 with left elbow inflammation. The 33-year-old has pitched very well in 15 starts this season (2.95 ERA), but this latest blip should have the Yankees questioning whether they can rely on him the rest of the way.

Pat Ragazzo

Pat Ragazzo

Pat Ragazzo is FanSided’s National MLB Reporter. He is also a publisher/editor for Athlon Sports and Men’s Journal. Pat previously covered the Mets and Yankees for On SI (Part of Sports Illustrated) from June 2021 through May 2026. He can be seen and heard as a frequent guest on major TV and Radio networks such as: NBC, CBS, FOX, PIX11, WFAN and ESPN New York. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry.