In only his third start in pinstripes, starter Carlos Rodon learned that even on the road, there's no hiding from the wrath of New York Yankees fans.
After one of the worst outing of his career Wednesday on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, Rodon walked off the mound toward the dugout and blew a kiss toward a jeering group of traveling Yankees fans.
Rodon reacts to some Yankees fans in attendance pic.twitter.com/oE86bvyTq1
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 19, 2023
While no one is advocating for unruly behavior from fans, to be fair, Rodon wasn't sharp Wednesday against the Angels. L.A. tagged him for six earned runs off only four hits, including two home runs. Meanwhile, Rodon had trouble finding the zone, offering up five free passes over only 4.1 innings of work. According to Katie Sharp of Stathead, it's the first time in Rodon's career he's given up two or more home runs and five-plus walks in the same start.
One of the hottest names in free agency last offseason, Rodon inked a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees. However, after suffering "chronic" back issues during spring training, Rodon was on the shelf for the season's first three months.
Since making his first start on July 7, Rodon has not looked like the prize signing the Yankees had hoped for. Before Wednesday's abysmal outing, he was 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched.
The Yankees ultimately fell to the Angels, 7-3, dropping to 50-47 on the year. While New York remains above .500, they're sinking deeper and deeper into the basement of the American League East, now trailing the first-place Baltimore Orioles (58-37) by nine games.
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