Yankees Pitcher Making Playoff Roster Case as Co-Ace

All of his starts thereafter were more to his liking. He is unrecognizable from the pitcher who couldn't get through a Marlins lineup. Rodon is currently on a nine-game streak of allowing two runs or less, which began against the Texas Rangers in a 5-2 win, where he went five innings and allowed two earned runs.

During this streak, Rodon has pitched at least six innings four times and completed seven twice. His two losses weren't his fault as much as it was the offense. Despite going six innings and allowing two runs against both the Tigers and Twins in back-to-back outings, the Yankees lost by a crooked number. It was two games where he kept his team in the game, but the bullpen did what the bullpen does all year: spectacularly fall over themselves.

Against the Baltimore Orioles, an organization once touted as the next big threat in the American League, their division rival birds went down with a whimper. Rodon pitched seven innings, allowing just one earned run. He struck out eight and showed the impeccable command he had with the San Francisco Giants that made him desirable in the first place by walking just one batter.

After the game, Rodon credited two things. The first was his changeup. The other was first baseman-turned-backup catcher Ben Rice.

"I thought just the way Ben [Rice] called that game set up the changeup well,” Rodón said, h/t Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “He called the pitches, I just tried to go execute. Outer lane was open with the fastball, I just tried to tunnel that with the changeup. I was fortunate to have a good one today.”

Rodon's changeup was masterful. It was his most thrown pitch in his outing against the Orioles. He had a 33% usage rate with it. His fastball had 30%. With the changeup, the O's took 21 swings against it, and whiffed 12 times. They had an average exit velocity of 60.1 MPH against the change, and the hardest contact they made was 77.6 MPH. It was complete dominance with the pitch. For one night, he adopted Devin Williams' moniker, the Airbender.

What matters most is how Rodon will pitch in October, though. He is the two starter behind Max Fried, but with his stuff and the way he has rounded out heading into October, it's safe to label him as the team's second ace.

He'll want to wipe away the bad taste of his game two World Series start, where he allowed four earned runs, was smacked around for three homers, and was lifted in the fourth inning. If the Yankees get that Rodon in the playoffs, they'll have no shot.

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