Just a few months after celebrating the transaction, Yankees Universe is on edge with star left-hander Carlos Rodón, and no amount of unsolicited Venmo payments will cure their ill until they see him on the mound in pinstripes.
Rodón made one spring training appearance against the Braves before reporting minor elbow discomfort, later determined to be a strain in the back of the muscle, nowhere near the UCL. Somewhere along the way during his rehab, though, Rodón reported back discomfort that slowed his attempts to get back on the mound.
No pain in the back. No pain in the elbow. No pain in the shoulder. Just ... stiffness, which caused his mechanics to go out of whack. The vagueness of the update was catnip for the insane.
When Rodón chose not to confirm whether "July" felt like a viable estimate for his return (smart, why comment?), that set a certain sect of fans over the edge. They spent the entire weekend comparing the left-hander (who desperately wants to pitch for the Yankees) to soft-tossing free agent signee Carl Pavano from way back in 2004-05 (who wanted nothing to do with this franchise and hid injuries from his bosses).
On Monday's Talkin' Yanks podcast, host Jomboy dropped the nugget that a few of his anonymous sources within the Yankees' organization wanted to throw cold water on the idea that Rodón planned to pitch at all in 2023. Twitter loved that. Ate it up. But a few hours later, a source close to Rodón refuted that report: Ashley Rodón, the pitcher's wife.
Yankees need left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodón back, despite injury rumors
Well, that feels good to read! A rare thing that feels good to read, actually.
Jomboy's sources probably just intended to quiet the gibberish around Rodón as the left-hander recovers from his cortisone shot. They're probably sick of fans assuming Rodón will be ready by some arbitrary date, then getting angry at their own assumption.
That said ... it's evident this guy really wants to pitch, and it's also clear he really wants to do it for this team. He chose the pinstripes. He knows fans boo disaster, cheer excellence and, yes, sometimes boo excellence in moments of weakness. He wants this life, and he wants to be on a mound immediately.
And any other assertion that he's packing it in for the year is, per Ashley, "Bulls**t." Hopefully, his body cooperates, because we're desperate to watch this man breathe fire.