Carlos Rodón will be the New York Yankees’ starting pitcher on Opening Day, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Friday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
“Feel really good about giving him the ball,” Boone said.
Rodón will face the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on March 27. In early February, the Brewers announced that Freddy Peralta will be their Opening Day starter. Max Fried will start the second game of the season on March 29.
It will be Rodón’s first Opening Day start since joining the Yankees in 2023 on a six-year, $162-million contract.
“It’s an honor,” he said. “I’m excited. Just want to go out there and win the game.”
He also started Opening Day in 2019 for the Chicago White Sox.
“Honestly it’s just the first game of the season,” he said. “It’s another baseball game. Take it like another game, it just so happens to be the first game of the year.”
Boone said for Fried to start Opening Day, he would have had to skip his final spring training start.
“That would be really tough with the buildup,” Boone said. “Don’t want to do that.”
Rodón said the Yankees brought to him the idea of starting on Opening Day and he changed his schedule accordingly.
“That’s something they just brought it to me,” he said. “I kind of work just here and do as I’m told. I don’t have much of a say.”
Rodón takes the place of ace Gerrit Cole, who would have started the opener but had Tommy John surgery on Tuesday and won’t pitch for the rest of the season. Last season, Nestor Cortes Jr. started for the Yankees on Opening Day.
Rodón will make his next spring training start Saturday. He’s made two starts (5 1/3 innings) without giving up a run so far.
Carlos Rodón strikes Austin Wells out looking. Rodon struck out the side. pic.twitter.com/IybMn72pt5
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) February 12, 2025
Boone said he’s liked what he’s seen so far this spring from Rodón.
“Everything has been there,” the manager said. “The stuff has been there. I think he’s had another good winter, coming off of last winter, which was excellent. Coming off a tough season. I feel like his arsenal continues to evolve, the secondary stuff is getting stronger and stronger, the changeup becoming a real factor for him now. Feel like he’s doing a good job with both his breaking balls and the stuff and the shape with the four-seam has been there. He’s in a good spot.”
Since joining the Yankees, Rodón is 19-17 with a 4.74 ERA in 46 starts. Last season, Rodón went 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 32 starts, a career high.
The Yankees’ rotation without Cole and fellow injured starter Luis Gil, who is likely out until at least June, remains in flux. It appears that four spots are secure: Rodón, Fried, Clarke Schmidt and Marcus Stroman. Rookie Will Warren and veteran Carlos Carrasco may be competing for the fifth spot.
The Yankees are in the market for multiple upgrades to their roster with Cole, Giancarlo Stanton (elbows), Gil (lat), Jake Cousins (elbow) and DJ LeMahieu (calf) each expected to miss the start of the season. They have been hunting for a right-handed bat and for starting pitching help, though their options appear thin with few attractive free agents remaining and the trade market slow with the end of spring training near.
(Photo: Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
