TAMPA — Carlos Rodon’s body has gotten plenty of attention early in spring training, after reporting to camp in noticeably better shape.
But besides looking better, the Yankees left-hander is also feeling better — specifically about the way he moves down the mound, which could be one of the keys to unlocking his talent this season.
Injuries plagued Rodon’s first year in pinstripes, but when he was active, he spent much of the time searching for the right mechanics that would allow him to pitch the way he did in 2021 and 2022, when he combined to post a 2.67 ERA with the White Sox and Giants.
It is still only the first week of spring training, but Rodon sounded like he wanted to bottle up how he is currently moving through his delivery and make sure he repeats it the rest of the year.
“I’m just moving better, moving the way I usually move,” Rodon said Saturday after throwing a bullpen session. “I think last year I was moving a little wonky down the mound. I was trying to find it the whole year and just couldn’t find it. This year I made that a main concern in the offseason to figure out my move and what I was moving down the mound.
“I just want to hold that and keep how I move on the mound in my brain. I just don’t want to forget it. I’m always thinking about it.”
Watch Rodon throw a bullpen session and he can often be seen spending the early part of it getting a feel for his delivery.
He goes through the motions — in a good way, that is — multiple times without a ball in his hand before actually throwing a pitch, all to make sure he is moving the way he wants.
Besides Rodon just feeling better, the Yankees are seeing the data to back it up.
Around this time last year, according to pitching coach Matt Blake, Rodon’s fastball was 85-88 mph in bullpen sessions.
This year, he has been 88-91 mph.
In his live batting practice sessions last spring, Rodon’s fastball was 88-90 mph.
This year, it’s already 94-95 mph, including touching 97 mph in Wednesday’s session.
“It’s just easier to get that velocity right now, so that’s probably why it showed up,” Rodon said.
Blake described a cascading effect of issues that gave Rodon trouble beginning last spring, which was his first with the Yankees after signing a six-year, $162 million contract.
“When he’s not maybe in the spot physically that he is right now, as he’s coming in trying to impress, he’s searching for that next gear of the fastball and doesn’t quite have it. And then he’s trying to do too much, and then the command kind of suffers, and then putting stress on the body in other ways that ends up being an elbow issue early [in March], and then it’s a back issue, and then it’s a slow play into the season,” Blake said. “With physically preparing himself by getting in a little better shape, getting stronger, getting range of motion in the right areas allows him to access the delivery in a little different way and get the power back.
“I think he’s just doing it in a much more athletic way and a little more efficiently.”
Rodon started throwing earlier than he ever has this offseason and arrived in Tampa the first week of January.
Much of his focus that month was finding the right movements in his delivery, and though much of it is done through feel, he also had some help from video.
“I feel like I have a thousand videos of myself this offseason through coaches,” Rodon said. “A lot of [it] is making throws, watching video and then refine it.”
There is still a long way to go before Rodon can fully wipe away his brutal 2023.
He knows that he has work to do in staying on the field and harnessing his emotions, both of which proved troublesome last season.
He wants to change the reputation he has for being injury-prone, though he followed that up by saying, “It’s baby steps, man.”
But Rodon hopes he has taken one of the first steps by finding his delivery.
“If I’m moving right,” he said, “everything takes care of itself.”
