A caller asked Keith if Carlos Rodon could be trusted in the playoffs after a rough outing against the Nationals on Wednesday night, and Keith made it clear that he would not feel comfortable with the lefty on the mound in October.
“He gets in his head,” Keith said. “It takes a certain level of focus. He has to be dialled in and locked in. He’s so easily rattled.
“We’ve seen Rodon be good, but we’ve seen him be more bad. Do you feel comfortable giving him the ball in the postseason, knowing the wind could blow the wrong way and he’ll have a hissy fit? Hell no.”
Rodon has largely been a disappointment since signing his $162 million contract before the 2023 season, and while he has stayed healthy in 2024, his last 13 starts have added up to a 5.97 ERA, allowing 14 home runs in 66.1 innings. Rodon looked like his old self to start the season, but he has been up and down ever since, and Keith won’t be comfortable seeing him on the bump in a potential must-win game.
“Giving the ball to Carlos Rodon in the postseason seems like self-sabotage,” Keith said.