There will be no revenge game for Carlos Rodón in late March in the Bronx.
Rodón, 30, will begin the season on the injured list, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters Thursday. Rodón left the Giants after one year to sign with New York in free agency, inking a six-year, $162 million deal. He now has a forearm strain on his throwing arm that will delay his Yankees debut.
Rodón was expected to pitch during the Giants-Yankees series from March 30 to April 2, but will now be unavailable. Cashman said Rodón’ won’t throw for 7-10 days and will start the season in the injured list. He also described the injury as “mild.”
Cashman added that Rodón pitched through the same injury last may in San Francisco.
For the Giants last year, Rodón earned his second straight All-Star selection. He led Major League Baseball in fielding independent pitching (2.25) and strikeouts per nine innings (12.0). And for the first time in his career, Rodón stayed healthy; the southpaw’s 31 starts and 178 innings pitched were both career-highs.
But Rodón’s injury history made his long-term, massive contract one of curiosity. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 and has also experienced issues with his surgically repaired shoulder that affected his velocity.
Any team typically has to overpay to acquire the best talent on the free agent market, but committing six years to a starting pitcher with a medical bill like Rodón’s can be risky. Notably, the Giants haven’t signed any starter to a contract longer than three years long.
Even if this particular injury isn’t considered serious, Rodón is starting his tenure in pinstripes on the IL.