Prized off-season acquisition Carlos Rodon has yet to make his debut for the New York Yankees and it appears his wait will be even longer than first thought.
Since early April, Rodon has experienced back issues that he learned recently are considered “chronic.” Talking with reporters on Friday, Rodon revealed he would receive a cortisone injection next week — but couldn’t provide a more specific update.
“I can’t put a timeline on anything,” Rodon said via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “I’ll get this injection and I want to throw as soon as I can.”
Rodon reportedly sought opinions from three doctors, all of whom agreed that an injection would be the most effective treatment. He confirmed that while pain is not an issue, “restriction” and tightness” have impacted his command.
Inititially Rodon hit the injured list with a forearm injury during spring training ,but soon thereafter developed back tightness which forced the Yankees to shut down the southpaw. New York had been targeting mid-June for Rodon’s first start, though after Friday’s developments, it’s unclear when he will finally don Yankees’ pinstripes in earnest
Rodon was among the hottest available names on the free agent market this past winter. Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, he went a combined 27-13 with a 2.67 ERA in 55 starts for the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants.
After Rodon posted outstanding back-to-back All-Star campaigns, the deal he signed seemed like a no-brainer for New York. However, 32 games into the 2023 campaign and the Yankees are still waiting to get their money’s worth.
