The number one task for the New York Yankees this offseason was to re-sign star outfielder Aaron Judge. After doing so successfully, they made another big move in free agency on Thursday involving a star pitcher.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees have agreed to a contract with left-handed starting pitcher Carlos Rodón on a six-year, $162 million deal with a no-trade clause included.
Rodón spent the 2022 MLB season with the San Francisco Giants, where he put together a 2.88 ERA in 178 innings pitched with a career-best 2.25 FIP.
He’s been among the elite pitchers in baseball over the past two seasons, ranking in the top-five in ERA, FIP, strikeout percentage, opponents batting average, and fWAR.
New York certainly paid a steep price for Rodón, but many around the MLB world seem to believe it is justified considering his excellent play in recent years.
“They needed to do it. Let’s see if he’s the pitcher of the last 3 years or his first 6,” tweeted Pete Hoffman of WFAN.
“The Yankees have remembered they are in fact the Yankees,” tweeted Bill Koch of the Providence Journal.
“Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, and Carlos Rodón the best 1-2-3 in baseball don’t you dare @ me,” tweeted Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
This signing will help bolster their starting rotation in a big way, and create a very intriguing top of the rotation alongside Gerrit Cole.
According to ESPN Stats & Info on Twitter, Rodon and Cole make up two of the top-three pitchers in baseball in strikeouts last season, which seems like a great sign for future success.
In an offseason that could have been a complete disaster for the Yankees, they have instead had a very excellent offseason on paper and could be building the groundwork for a deep postseason run next year.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.