Carlos Rodon setting up bounce-back season with Yankees

Carlos Rodon could not have had a worse beginning to his New York Yankees tenure.

He was coming off of consecutive All-Star seasons when he signed his six-year, $162 million contract. Rodon was expected to slot behind Gerrit Cole, giving the Yankees a pair of aces atop the rotation. Instead, Rodon struggled as he battled injuries all year. He posted a career-worst 6.65 ERA and a 1.446 WHiP over his 64.1 innings, striking out 64 batters while issuing 28 walks and allowing 15 homers. Everything that could have gone wrong did.

Rodon is looking to put last year behind him and get a jump on the upcoming season. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported that Brian Cashman stated that Carlos Rodon voluntarily reported to spring training early. Cashman also said that Rodon looks good and that the Yankees are "very optimistic that Rodon can return to form and be the pitcher we know he's capable of being."

The Yankees' season may hinge on Rodon. Cole is one of the few true aces in the game and Marcus Stroman has been brought in as their second starter. However, the rest of the rotation is filled with question marks. The Yankees are all-in for 2024 and need their rotation to live up to its potential.

Rodon has displayed that top of the rotation form before. He posted a 2.67 ERA and a 0.998 WHiP over his 310.2 innings between 2021 and 2022, striking out 422 batters with 88 walks. The Yankees are banking on Rodon returning to some facsimile of that pitcher. He has taken the first step to having a bounceback season by arriving nearly a month early to spring training.