New York Yankees fans concerned as Carlos Rodon throws simulated game at smoky Yankee Stadium: "Only took the apocalypse to get him here"

Under an apocalyptically orange sky at Yankee Stadium, injured New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon took to the mound. He threw a simulated game to teammates Oswaldo Cabrera and Jake Bauers on Wednesday.

Rodon signed as a free agent in the offseason to be the team's No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole. However, he has yet to pitch in the regular season for his new team. He started the season on the injured list after suffering a forearm muscle strain in spring training. Shortly after, he complained of a sore back.

Carlos Rodon is currently on the 60-day IL after the New York Yankees transferred him from the 15-day IL on June 1. He was cleared from the team's 40-man roster until he is ready to start.

However, Yankees fans were concerned about him throwing at a smoke-shrouded Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. They think it will only extend the time it takes Rodon to return to the team.

New York looks like 1800s London, or modern-day Beijing, as the city was shrouded in smoke from Canadian wildfires. Most of the northeast of the United States is under a thick cloud emanating from north of the border

The National Weather Service issured an Air Quality Alert for New York City and much of the northeast United States. Thick smoke from the long-raging fires that have plagued Canada for weeks.

The air quality alert notes that air pollution in the vicinity of Yankee Stadium is unhealthy. People with heart or lung disease, children and those over 65 years of age would be at risk if they attended the game.

New York University environmental health expert Dr. Jack Caravanos weighed-in on the air quality. On ABC 7, he stated that in New York, the air quality in the city is three-times worse than normal due to the smoke.

The Yankees played the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in similar conditions.

In spite of the awful conditions, New York Yankees fans did like seeing Carlos Rodon back on the mound. He has been ramping up his pitching activity in hopes of returning to the team as soon as possible.

Rodon went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA and 237 strikeouts for the San Francisco Giants last season.

New York Yankees still waiting on Carlos Rodon

Carlos Rodon #55 of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait during media day

The Yankees announced in March that the team's $162 million offseason signing to bolster the rotation would be shut down for at least seven to 10 days. That original window has stretched to months.

Rodon reportedly began feeling discomfort while throwing a slider before his MLB spring training debut on March 5, and told the New York Yankees training staff. He worked two-plus innings against the Atlanta Braves that day. However, four days later, Carlos Rodon was shut down with a forearm strain.