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AL scout examines Carlos Rodon’s struggles with lefty set for Yankees return

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Carlos Rodon and Luis Severino are scheduled to start out Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, in opposition to the Nationals.

The duo has not been the 1-2 punch behind Gerrit Cole the Yankees anticipated earlier than the season and as a substitute have been among the many many causes the team is in the cellar of the AL East.

Severino, on account of develop into a free agent following the season, will look to point out some indicators of life earlier than hitting the open marketplace for the primary time.

He has a 7.98 ERA this season, in addition to a 14.18 ERA in his previous 4 appearances — however he received’t be the Yankees’ downside after 2023.

Rodon is a distinct story, having signed a six-year, $162 million deal with the Yankees last winter of their largest free-agent splash outdoors of Aaron Decide.

On Sunday, Rodon referred to as his performance in his first season with the Yankees “a pile of s–t.”


Carlos Rodon reacts after giving up a two-run home run against the Astros on Aug. 6, 2023.
Carlos Rodon reacts after giving up a two-run house run in opposition to the Astros on Aug. 6.
Robert Sabo

An AL scout stated Rodon’s stuff hasn’t been as unhealthy as his numbers would point out, however he hasn’t come near final 12 months’s outcomes.

“I don’t know if it’s a mixture of the well being stuff early on and the brand new atmosphere and the expectations, however he’s simply been off,’’ the scout stated, referencing Rodon’s forearm pressure and again stiffness that plagued him within the spring. “The put-away stuff hasn’t been there.”

Tuesday shall be Rodon’s first outing since his most up-to-date stint on the injured record, this one due to a left hamstring strain.

He last pitched on Aug. 6 and left in the third inning of one other tough outing with the damage.

Rodon has been unhealthy versus righties (.826 OPS) and worse in opposition to lefties (.877), unhealthy at Yankee Stadium (6.11 ERA in 4 begins) and worse on the street (9.64 ERA in two begins).

The primary wrongdoer has been his four-seam fastball, which was among the many greatest within the sport every of the earlier two seasons, when Rodon starred with the White Sox after which the Giants.

This 12 months, it’s been a below-average pitch with an anticipated slugging share of .554, in contrast with .347 final 12 months and .366 in 2021.

“You possibly can inform that this 12 months, it’s completely different,’’ Rodon advised The Submit’s Greg Joyce final month. “The hitters are searching me, they’re searching my strengths and what I do greatest, and so they’re doing harm. I fall behind in counts, they’re sitting fastball, I throw fastball. They know that.”

Rodon’s slider, one other weapon that was extraordinarily efficient most of his profession, has additionally been an issue, though superior metrics point out he’s had some unhealthy luck with that pitch.


Anthony Volpe, who homered Sunday, enters Tuesday with an OPS of .691, the best it’s been since early July.

Since June 21, Volpe has an .805 OPS after getting off to a tough begin with a .614 OPS in his first 73 video games.


Anthony Volpe homers during the Yankees' loss to the Red Sox on Aug. 20.
Anthony Volpe homers through the Yankees’ loss to the Purple Sox on Aug. 20.
Getty Photographs

Jasson Dominguez was named Japanese League Participant of the Week on Monday after going 13-for-28 with 5 doubles and a pair of homers over a six-game span.

That adopted a three-game hitless stretch, however the 20-year-old has hit effectively at Double-A for a lot of the final month.

Dominguez is ranked the group’s No. 2 prospect — behind fellow outfielder Spencer Jones at Excessive-A Hudson Valley — by MLB Pipeline.

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