NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Rodón’s first fastball was lined into left field at 95.8 mph by Jarred Kelenic. His second went off Ozzie Albies’ bat at 103.7 mph and landed in the left-field seats.
Two pitches in, and the Atlanta Braves had a 2-0 lead.
“They were definitely attacking it. I should make made an adjustment quicker to try to get to the slow stuff. Need to be better, man. Not good,” Rodón said after the New York Yankees’ 8-1 loss on Friday night.
Rodón (9-4) lost his second straight start after winning seven in a row. He gave up eight runs — seven earned — in 3 2/3 innings and 11 hits, including seven for extra bases. His ERA has climbed from 2.93 to 3.86 in his last two outings.
“They attacked me on my strengths and they executed their swings,” he said.
He appeared to shout at assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel in the dugout after the top of the first.
“Emotions got going,” Rodón said. “Just a little fiery there. I gave up three runs, two homers, that’s pretty much why.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was understanding.
“We’re playing for a lot, so no issue with intensity coming out, wanting and expecting more,” Boone said.
Rodón had gotten off to a strong start after going 3-8 with a 6.85 ERA in 14 starts in his first season with the Yankees, who signed him to a $162 million, six-year contract. Rodón’s strikeouts per nine innings have declined from 12.6 in 2021 to 9.0 in 2023 and 8.5 this season.
“Things he and we’re aware of and I think it’s just a matter of making that last little adjustment,” Boone said.
New York has lost five of six, including three in a row while allowing 32 runs to the Braves and Baltimore, and was in danger of dropping below the Orioles into second place in the AL East before Baltimore lost 14-11 at Houston.
By the end of the fourth inning, the Yankees had given up runs in 13 of 14 innings, including nine in a row — tying a team record from June 16-18, 1940.
“It’s been a rough week for us,” Boone said. “It’s in a lot of ways not the worst thing to happen, that, hey, I got to make sure in a lot of areas we’re tightened up and — everything’s kind of gone our way and a reminder that, hey, this thing’s hard. You kind of get through this little stretch here, and Carlos will, too.”
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