New York Yankees Send Pitcher Carlos Rodon to Injured List

Posted on: August 8, 2023, 08:16h. 

Last updated on: August 8, 2023, 12:19h.

Pauly McGuire Read More
Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

With their season on the brink, the New York Yankees have sent starting pitcher Carlos Rodon to the IL with a hamstring injury.

Carlos Rodon injury
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon, seen here trying to stretch, sustained a hamstring injury in a game against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. (Image: Getty)

During Sunday’s game against the Houston Astros, manager Aaron Boone removed Rodon in the third inning when his starting pitcher displayed discomfort after a couple of pitches.

I felt it grab,” Rodon told reporters after the loss. “It felt like a cramp, then it did it again. After that it felt fine, so it was more of a precautionary type thing.”

On Monday, Rodon underwent an MRI which revealed a strained left hamstring. The Yankees sent him to the IL for a 15-day stint.

“It’s a low-grade strain,” confirmed Boone.

Rookie right-hander Jhony Brito will most likely replace Rodon in the starting rotation until he returns. Brito made 14 appearances and started 12 games. He’s 4-5 this season with a 5.02 ERA and 1.34 WHIP.

Rodon Struggled Since Debut in July

During the off-season, the left-handed Rodon was one of the top free agent starters on the market. The Yankees signed Rodon to a six-year deal worth $162 million, and thought he could be a #2 or #3 starter in the rotation behind ace Gerrit Cole.

Rodon sustained a left forearm injury during spring training, so the Yankees shut him down out of precaution. He sustained a setback during his rehab in April when a bout of chronic back pain flared up. In early May, Rodon underwent a cortisone shot, but the pain still lingered. He would miss three months of the regular season before he made his debut.

Rodon didn’t make his first start in pinstripes until July. His season has been nothing short of a disappointment, considering he’s earning $22.8 million this year. In six starts, Rodon is 1-4 with a 7.33 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. The Yankees are 1-5 when Rodon takes the mound.

I’m pretty frustrated,” said Rodon. “This is not the way I wanted to come out here and perform. I’m pretty frustrated in how I’m performing.”

Rodon coughed up eight home runs in 27 innings this season. Last season, Rodon pitched 178 innings and allowed just 12 home runs.

Yankees Running Out of Time

The Yankees saw their pitching staff succumb to serious injuries in spring training, and their bad luck spilled over into the season. As a direct result, the Yankees are in last place in the American League East.

Rodon’s latest injury occurred less than a week after starting pitcher Domingo German left the Yankees to enter a treatment facility for alcohol abuse.

Right-handed starter Luis Severino also continues to struggle. He’s 2-6 this season with a 7.74 ERA and 1.85 WHIP. The Yankees are 3-8 in his last 11 starts.

Randy Vasquez, a right-handed rookie, might get called up to the show to replace Severino in the rotation. In three spot starts this season, Vasquez is 1-1 with a 1.17 ERA and 1.04 WHIP.

The short-handed Yankees are getting much-needed help for their stretch run. Crafty left-handed starter Nestor Cortes finally returned to the Yankees after missing two months with a left shoulder injury.

The Yankees reinstated right-handed reliever Jonathan “Johnny Lasagna” Loaisiga from the 60-day IL. Loaisiga had been out since early April after he underwent surgery to remove a bone spur.

The Yankees (58-55) are 5.5 games out of the AL wild card with 49 games remaining. Two other teams, the Seattle Mariners (60-52) and the Boston Red Sox (58-54), are ahead of them on the bubble.

According to a postseason projection by FanGraphs, the Yankees have a 14% chance to secure a spot in the playoffs. They have less than a 1% chance to win the World Series.

The Yankees saw their World Series odds slip to +6000, and they’re now +3500 odds to win the AL pennant.

The Yankees are +550 odds to make the playoffs, according to a popular prop bet by DraftKings. The Bronx Bombers are on the verge of a bust, and are now a betting favorite to miss the postseason at -750 odds.