Trade News:A disappointing $162 million deal was given to the Yankees…
The incident was widely reported, and soon after, there were rumors of an apology and reconciliation.However, the September incident that terminated Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon’s 2023 season still haunts him, a concerning last note on what was a miserable first season in New York.
Rodon lost his temper for a number of reasons at that point. Having struggled with injuries and a lack of rhythm throughout the season—his first in New York since the Yankees had awarded him a six-year, $162 million contract the previous December—he had been hoping to close off the year strong.
He had put together three decent starts in the two-and-a-half weeks before that, going 5-plus innings for three straight outings for the first time all year. He had gone 1-2, but with a 3.50 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 18 innings in those starts. A good finale in Kansas City would have given him some momentum heading into 2024.
Instead, he bombed. And as he was bombing, Blake walked in.“There was a lot of things bubbling up for him as the season came to an end on a negative note,” he said. “But I think, in my role, the people and personalities you deal with, any time you walk out onto the field, it’s like walking into a lion’s den.
So it’s like, these guys are full of emotion and when things are not going well, these things can happen. Now, do I wish he handled it differently? Of course, and we’ve talked about it and he knows it is not the way to approach it.