Carlos Rodon reaches multiple career milestones in victory over Rays

NEW YORK — It’s safe to say New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón is ready for the postseason. He pitched his best game of the season in a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. 

Rodón pitched a season-high eight innings, allowed three hits and struck out eight batters. It was a quick game, which lasted two hours and two minutes. 

“He was awesome,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters about Rodón. “His strike throwing was great. The fastball was in a really good place, a really good profile in the heater, too. The secondary (pitches) were good — the slider and changeup. … It was a really solid quick win.” 

Rodón also reached a couple of milestones along the way, striking out his 1,500th batter in the seventh and winning his 100th game of his career. Rodón said when he started his big-league career with the Chicago White Sox on April 21, 2015 against the then-Cleveland Indians, he wasn’t looking into the future thinking that he was going to win a lot of games.

“At 22 (years old), it was a cold night in Chicago,” Rodón recalled to reporters. “I ran out to the mound and never saw three decks in a stadium before. So I was trying to keep my heart in my chest. The crystal ball wasn’t looking this far into the future.”

Rodón wasn’t nervous against the Rays, however. He had 18 swings and misses, and his fastball went as high as 97.5. For his 1,500th strikeout, Rodón struck out Jonny DeLuca on a 86.3 mph slider.

“During the moment, I didn’t know what was going on. I go, people are clapping. Cool. Fifteen hundred is nice. Hopefully, I can keep going,” Rodón said.

Rodón most likely started his last game of the season, although Boone hasn’t ruled out Rodón throwing on Sunday against the Orioles. The Yankees will go into the postseason without their best player, Aaron Judge. But Rodón is confident that the team will go far. He based it on what he saw in Tuesday’s game. 

Cody Bellinger was clutch with a two-run homer in the fourth frame and was able to double off Victor Mesa Jr. at first base after Richie Palacio flew out to Bellinger in left field two-innings later. 

“The bullpen is deep. The starters are really good. I have a lot of confidence in this club,” Rodón said.   

All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.