Rodón's rebound season began in ... a cabin?

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

On the day his disastrous 2023 season concluded, Carlos Rodón marched out an exit gate at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. He tossed his bags into a waiting vehicle, hoping for a quick getaway. The exit was clogged by an incoming crowd of thousands, filtering in for a Beyoncé concert at adjacent Arrowhead Stadium. Of course it was.

Rodón eventually got through that eclectic ocean of glitter and satin, pointing four wheels toward a remote Missouri cabin, where he and a cousin remained for several weeks. There, he attempted to flush the memories of the previous months, promising himself that 2024 would be better.

The left-hander has made good on those affirmations, authoring a bounce-back campaign. Rodón notched his team-leading 15th victory in the Yankees’ 5-2 win over the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon. Over his past 11 starts dating to July 14, Rodón is 6-2 with a 3.26 ERA.

“It’s not just me; I think a lot of guys have stepped up to turn this thing around from last year,” Rodón said. “I think it’s a mindset, just never giving up and going out there and competing."

While Rodón credited his win total to offense and run support -- “I just go out there and try to put up zeroes and keep the team ahead with the leads they give me,” he said -- he considers it meaningful that he has reached the 30-start plateau for just the second time in his 10-year career (also 2022 with the Giants).

“The goal this year was to go out there and make every start,” Rodón said. “I think I have two more left, so yeah -- just go out there, take the ball and compete. That’s it.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he senses Rodón has had “tremendous focus” all year long -- both between the lines every fifth game and behind the scenes.

“It goes back to the end of last season; he’s been locked in,” Boone said. “He’s worked his butt off. He’s had a really strong process, from his physical training, mound work, classroom work and recovery routines. He’s just done a great job of putting the blinders on and chopping wood, if you will. He’s getting rewarded for it.

Added infielder Gleyber Torres: “The adjustments he’s been pitching [with], it’s amazing. The control is there, velo is always there. The confidence he’s got right now, he’s really good for us.”

Now in the second year of his six-year, $162 million deal with the Bombers, Rodón knew that changes must be made after he posted a 6.85 ERA in 14 starts during his injury-marred debut campaign.

Though he could overpower hitters with just a fastball-slider combo earlier in his career, Rodón credited pitching coaches Matt Blake and Desi Druschel for helping him to add a changeup, which has given opponents an extra choice to consider.

According to Baseball Savant, Rodón’s fastball usage has dropped from 60.4% to 49.3% this year, while he’s throwing his changeup 13% of the time, a jump from 4.3% last year. He’s also mixing in a curveball more (8.1% in 2024 vs. 6.4% in ‘23), while slider usage has dipped slightly (26% vs. 28.9% last season).

We’ve broadened the arsenal with adding the changeup,” Rodón said. “That was a pitch design that started this offseason with Desi and Matt -- and quite a few guys back in Tampa. Throwing it early on, trying to figure out how to get that pitch to move the right way. And then, with more usage of the curveball, the group has collectively helped me get where I’m at right now.”

As the Yankees (87-63) embark upon their final road trip of the regular season, preparing for a potential postseason clinch while holding a three-game lead over the Orioles (84-66) in the American League East, Rodón looks forward to seeing what this team can do in October.

“That’s when it really gets fun, but the job’s not done,” he said. “We still have some games ahead of us, and we’d like to come out and win this division."