It’ll be Carlos Rodon in Game 1 of the ALCS Monday night, Aaron Boone making that decision Sunday to have Rodon pitch ahead of Gerrit Cole in Game 2, with Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil in Games 3 and 4 in Cleveland later in the week.
It was a toss-up between Rodon and Schmidt that was not announced until just before Boone and Rodon’s press conferences on Sunday’s workout day at Yankee Stadium, but the choice ultimately came down to keeping everyone on a similar schedule.
“It just felt like it was close, and I feel like this kind of keeps them on rhythm as much as possible without giving one guy a huge, long layoff. They both line up to pitch a game in Cleveland,” Boone said. “(Rodon) is a really good pitcher, and him struggling there and getting knocked out in his last outing in the fourth, also feel like came out throwing the ball really well in his first big experience. Hopefully it's something he can take from that outing that allows him to really break through and have that outing we know he's capable of.”
Rodon did not face the Guardians this year, but Cleveland had a better slash line against lefties and Rodon is homer prone, so those were the two main negatives Boone weighed before deciding to have Rodon pitch earlier in Yankee Stadium than perhaps a later Game 7, it all coming down to Boone thinking that “when he's at his best, he should be able to go out there and give us a good outing.”
The key, as both skipper and pitcher noted, will be Rodon being able to stay in control of himself and not letting the moment of Game 1 in the Bronx overwhelm.
“I think that's one of the learning things you kind of go through,” Boone said. “I think he's in a really good spot, throwing the ball well, and hopefully going through his first playoff game here in the Bronx and experience all the emotions that you do, hopefully there's something that serves him well in this next time.”
Added Rodon: “Game 1 just sets the tone. Looking forward to being out there again, feeling the energy, and just giving my team the best chance to win. Just knowing to keep that focus and I guess channel that energy a little bit better so the focus stays on the field.”