The Yankees have quickly fixed their rotation

The New York Yankees completed an impressive signing Thursday night as they agreed to terms with left-handed starter Carlos Rodón.

Rodón, 30, has had two excellent seasons in a row and has flourished since rediscovering and optimizing his fastball in 2021.

Last season, he had a 2.88 ERA with a much better 2.25 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) in 178 innings, striking out 237 batters.

It’s not that the signing was unnecessary, because when a pitcher like Rodón is available, you do everything possible to bring him; but it was a bit of a surprise considering that most of the Yankees they need right now are in the lineup.

Still, Rodon helps them set up one of the most dominant rotations in the game.

In fact, it’s a stark contrast to the unit they fielded to kick off the 2021 campaign.

A Yankees insider helped us illustrate how the team is trying to gain an advantage with a super rotation, and it might not be a bad strategy.

A winning rotation

He compared the current group with the one starting the 2021 campaign.

“#Yankees starting rotation to start 2021 season: Gerrit Cole, Corey Kluber, Jordan Montgomery, Jameson Taillon, Domingo Germán. Two years later… Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Néstor Cortés, Luis Severino, Frankie Montas,” SI.com’s Max Goodman tweeted.

#Yankees Initial rotation to start the 2021 season:

gerrit cabbage
corey kluber
jordan montgomery
jameson taillon
Sunday German

Two years later…

gerrit cabbage
Carlos Rodon
Nestor Cortes
louis severino
frankie montas

—Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) December 16, 2022

At the time, Kluber was a huge injury risk/question mark, just like Taillon.

German is, and always has been, inconsistent.

This time around, the Yankees will enter 2023 with two types of aces in Cole and Rodon, a guy who has been an ace in the past (Severino), a pitcher who posted a 2.44 ERA last year in Cortés and a huge comeback. candidate in Montas.

That’s a fantastic rotation right there.

Now left field, third base and shortstop are another story.