Carlos Rodon’s debut season in pinstripes couldn’t have gone much worse.
After missing half the season due to injury, the $162 million lefty struggled badly, feuded with heckling fans by blowing a kiss, and turned his back on his pitching coach during a mound visit in one of his many rough outings.
Rodon, a two-time All-Star, will be entering the second year of a six-year, $162 million contract, and seemingly has plenty of time to right the ship and begin a new era for his pinstriped tenure. But if Sal were Brian Cashman, he would already put an end to it.
“If I’m the Yankees, I look to pay down maybe half of that salary and get him the hell out of here,” Sal said. “If I could get out from under that any which way, I’d do it now. Pay him the money and have him go away.”
BT, who was as critical as anybody of Rodon after posting a 6.85 ERA in 2023, pushed back hard, declaring that the lefty needed to at least be given the chance to “get off the runway” in New York, but Sal says he has seen enough.
“I think he’s a total failure here,” Sal said.