The chances are now paper thin after a series loss in Arizona, but if the Yankees are to have any shot of chasing down the Rays in the final week of the season, they absolutely must sweep this four-game series. That required a dominant performance from Carlos Rodón facing one of the AL’s best starters in Nick Martinez. They certainly got that, Rodón running rampant for eight scoreless innings, achieving both the 1,500th strikeout and 100th win of his career as the Yankees took the first game of the day’s doubleheader, 2-0.
Rodón burst out of the gate like he had a point to prove, whiffing the first two batters of the game Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda on a pair of filthy sliders. Cam Schlittler and Max Fried are likely locks for the postseason rotation, meaning if the Yankees elect to stick with a three-man unit, that final spot comes down to Rodón and Gerrit Cole. Aaron Boone has affirmed his commitment to Cole as the Game One starter in a prospective Wild Card Series. This seemingly leaves Rodón on the bubble, which might explain the extra edge he was pitching with this afternoon.
His teammates didn’t do themselves any favors early, burning both ABS challenges in the first inning. I expect the Yankees to tighten the strings on who gets to challenge and in what situation come the playoffs as you cannot deprive yourself of such a vital tool with eight innings still to play.
Martinez entered this game with the lowest walk rate of any qualified starter and among the league’s best at limiting hard contact. He was true to form going the first turn through the order without allowing a base runner. He was helped by the collectively poor approach from the lineup, with four out of the nine batters including the side in the third striking out against a pitcher with the lowest strikeout rate among qualified starters.
That started to change the second turn through the order, the Yankees finally starting to do some damage against the high volume of pitches Martinez was throwing over the heart of the plate, starting with a Ben Rice double into the corner in right to lead off the fourth. The very next pitch Martinez threw rocketed out of the yard, Cody Bellinger blasting a first pitch sinker into the seats in right for a two-run homer — his fifth homer in the last 12 games.
George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones singled with two outs to put runners on the corners. Jones then stole second unopposed, but Anthony Volpe struck out swinging to strand the pair in scoring position. They kept up the pressure in the fifth, José Caballero reaching on a bunt single against his former team and then stealing second and third followed by a Rice walk to put runners on the corners with one out. However, Bellinger popped out and Heliot Ramos flew out as they stranded a pair in consecutive frames.
Rodón settled into an impressive groove after a Chandler Simpson single in the second, retiring the next ten batters in order until Victor Mesa Jr. led off the sixth with a single. After Rodón whiffed Jorge Mateo on a slider for his sixth strikeout, he got Richie Palacios to line out to left. Mesa was running on the play and momentarily forget he had to sprint back to first, allowing Bellinger to throw an absolute seed to Luis García Jr., who applid the tag for the inning-ending double play.
With Rodón’s pitch count standing at just 89 after seven, Boone decided to go batter-to-batter in the eighth. However, Rodón ensured his manager had no choice to make, completing the eighth inning on just seven pitches, including the 1,500th strikeout of his career. It’s tied for his longest start as a Yankee, matching the eight innings he pitched against the Cubs on July 11, 2025.
Rodón entered this start as perhaps the Yankees’ most in-form pitcher behind Schlittler. Including today, in his last eight starts, Rodón has a 1.67 ERA while holding batters to a measly .134 batting average against. He had all his pitches working today, but this really felt like a throwback to his peak years with Chicago and San Francisco. He got whiffs in bunches on the four-seamer above the zone and slider below it. In likely his penultimate start of the regular season, Rodón dominated for eight scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out eight to lower his ERA to 2.67 on the year.
The Yankees didn’t manage another base runner in the final three innings, but Rodón made sure that it wouldn’t come back to haunt them. David Bednar pitched a one-two-three ninth to secure his 35th save of the season. The gap to the Rays now stands at five games as the Yankees become the second team in the AL to 90 wins. At worst, they have clinched the four seed in the AL, guaranteeing home field advantage in a prospective AL Wild Card Series.
The Yankees have a few hours’ rest before taking the field again tonight. Max Fried starts the night game of the doubleheader against Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm ET with the broadcast remaining on YES, so stick around!
