After re-signing Aaron Judgethe Yankees made their second-biggest move of the offseason acquiring LHP Carlos Rodon on a six-year, $162 million deal.
While the move has not been made official, manager Aaron Boone had glowing things to say about his new pitcher…just not by name.
“We’re talking about a really really talented guy that’s really started to put it together these last couple of years,” Boone said Friday afternoon at the Yankees’ annual Winter Wonderland event. “Hopefully he can have a big impact on us.”
Jameson Taillon signed with the Chicago Cubs in the offseason so the Yankees needed another starter to round out their rotation behind ace Gerrit Cole. And after, what seemed like, weeks of negotiations the Yankees got their guy in Rodon.
After five middling seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Rodon, 30, is coming off two career years, one with the White Sox and last season with the San Francisco Giants. With the Giants, the left-hander went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA and 1.028 WHIP en route to his second straight All-Star selection.
But which version of Rodon will the Yankees get? Boone obviously hopes for the pitcher that garnered Cy Young votes the last two years, but he admits that’s the challenge of evaluating players.
“That’s ultimately the job, making those good solid selections and projections,” he said. “With a lot of players you have some kind of reports and history going back years. You track what guys have done in their careers, different seasons, different injuries all those things go into what we hope is a really strong decision.”
Despite some uncertainties, Boone said that he and the organization have had their eyes on Rodon for some time, and the Yankees feel they now have another top-of-the-rotation guy they have been lacking the last few seasons.
“He’s been someone who’s been on our radar for a couple of years, honestly,” Boone said. “And to see him the kinds of seasons he had the last two years, it’s a realization of what a lot of people within the industry saw when he was the top pick out of NC State.
“[Rodon’s] become one of the game’s really great pitchers and the way he’s shown the last couple of years, he’s the top of the rotation guy. Hopefully he’ll continue to realize that potential.”