With the New York Yankees’ pitching staff decimated by injuries this spring, manager Aaron Boone called on Carlos Rodon to start on Opening Day. The 11th-year veteran looked sharp against the Milwaukee Brewers. But in the fourth inning, Rodon gave Yankees fans a scare when he appeared to injure himself on a play at first base.Brewers’ speedy right fielder Sal Frelick hit a slow roller to Paul Goldschmidt. The Gold Glover fielded the ball and tossed it to Rodon who was a hair late covering the bag. Frelick beat the pitcher in a footrace, legging out an infield single but Rodon landed awkwardly while attempting to step on first and fell to the ground.
Given the awful injury luck in New York of late, the team immediately showed concern for the starter. But Rodon walked it off and headed back to the mound.
“I was just more mad I didn’t make the play,” Rodon told reporters about the injury scare after the game, per SNY Yankees Videos on X.
“Seemed like I was slow getting out of that turn to get to first [after delivering the pitch] and I was trying to pick it up and I just lost my footing. Looked real unathletic there. But I’m fine,” he added.
Carlos Rodon delivered for the Yankees in the season opener
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The Yankees can’t afford an injury to Rodon. New York already lost Gerrit Cole to season-ending Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil is out several months with a high-grade lat strain. Toward the end of spring training Clarke Schmidt hurt his shoulder, forcing him to start the season on the 15-day IL.
At one point over the offseason, starting pitching appeared to be a major strength for New York. Now the Yankees are counting on Rodon and newcomer Max Fried to do the heavy lifting for a rotation that suddenly includes Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco and rookie Will Warren.
However, the team got off to a solid start with Rodon holding the Brewers to one run on four hits while walking two and striking out seven in 5.1 innings of work. And the Yankees’ bullpen looked sharp with Mark Leiter Jr. and Luke Weaver pitching clean innings.
Then new closer Devin Williams came on to protect a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning. Williams’ Yankees debut was extremely shaky as he faced his former team. But despite allowing a run on two hits and a walk and allowing the tying run to reach second base, Williams settled in and struck out Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich swinging to earn the save and secure the win for Rodon.
The Yankees and Brewers will play again on Saturday with Max Fried getting the start for New York.
