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The 2025 season will be an important one for New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon. He will be a vital part of the team's rotation this season after Gerrit Cole has been sidelined this year after he underwent Tommy John surgery.
He is coming off a 2024 season that was much better than what he put out in 2023 when he first came to the Bronx. He started 32 games, compiling a 16-9 record with a 3.96 ERA on 175 innings of work.
Former Minnesota Twins catcher Chris Gimenez wants to see Rodon come out firing this season. He believes this is the time for the lefty to step it up and lead this rotation.
"This is absolutely his time to step up and be that guy he wanted to be when he signed with the Yankees. It's hard to be that guy when you got Gerrit Cole in front of you, kind of leading the rotation," said Gimenez.
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With Gerrit Cole down for the year, Rodon has to step up and be at his best. He will no longer be overshadowed, but it has been a few seasons since he was looked at as an ace.
"I think this is truly Carlos Rodon's opportunity to shine and to kind of cement himself in the lore of the Yankees" he added.
If he can step up and lead this rotation, fans will look past his stressful 2023 season. That starts on Opening Day when he gets the ball against the Detroit Tigers.
Carlos Rodon comes into the new season with an upgraded arsenal
When Carlos Rodon first entered the big leagues, he threw a sinker. He would keep that pitch in his arsenal until the 2020 season, when he took it out of his arsenal.
He would then go on to focus more on his slider and his curveball over the next few years. He then went on to add a cutter last season.
Over the offseason, he has been working on his sinker again and will add it to his arsenal this season. He could be working with six pitches this year if he does not drop a pitch for the sinker.
Sinkers have gotten more and more popular throughout the years. It is a pitch that can generate groundball outs and swings and misses when needed.
