Carlos Rodón’s best start in weeks, Juan Soto’s 2 homers lead Yankees’ power surge vs. Rays

With the Yankees looking for a series split on Sunday, Carlos Rodón twirled his first strong start in more than a month in a 9-1 win over the Rays.The southpaw had been mostly dreadful over his last six outings, recording a 9.67 ERA over 27 innings. Prior to that, Rodón had a 2.93 ERA in his first 14 starts of the year.On Monday, Rodón looked more like the pitcher who thrived earlier in the season, as he held Tampa Bay to two hits and one earned run while logging seven innings for the third time this season. With his fastball — a pitch under scrutiny throughout his skid — and a sharp slider leading the way, Rodón struck out 10, tying his personal best with the Yankees.“It looked like it was profiling well, but he was getting it to spots he wanted to,” Aaron Boone said of Rodón’s fastball, which he threw 55 times on 101 pitches. “So really, it came down to just him having really good command. That allowed him to go through seven innings like he did with a good mix of pitches.”Rodón, meanwhile, said that he tried to use his slider in a different way, his latest effort to be less predictable.“We used it late in the count,” he said after 20 sliders led to nine whiffs. “Didn’t show it early that much, and I think it was a little more effective that way.”Rodón also totaled two walks. The one run he permitted came on a fifth-inning homer from Jose Siri.Just as he did on Sunday, Siri rounded the bases at a snail’s pace.“It is what it is,” Rodón said. “I mean, he hit that ball well out to right. He could run as slow or as fast as he wants.”The Yankees’ offense had more to brag about, though, as two infielders hit rare home runs after new cleanup hitter Austin Wells started the scoring with his own solo shot in the second inning.Anthony Volpe followed the catcher with his seventh homer of the season. Power has been hard to come by for the second-year shortstop, as he had not left the yard since May 16.However, he pulled his homer, as well a single, to left on Monday.“I like when he pulls it in the seats like that,” Boone joked when asked if the Yankees want to see Volpe pull the ball more. “He’s an evolving player. He’s making adjustments, and these are things that are going to serve him well as he becomes a more complete offensive player. But I like where he’s trending the last several days after really searching for it a little bit.“So where the ball goes, I don’t give a rip. I just want him to have more quality at-bats, tough at-bats, and I feel like he’s starting to feel it again a little bit.”DJ LeMahieu, stuck in an extended slump after a broken foot delayed the start of his season, had suffered an even longer drought before hitting his own bases-empty blast in the fifth inning. It was LeMahieu’s first home run since Sept. 5, 2023.Boone had given the struggling veteran off on Sunday and wasn’t committed to playing him on Monday. However, the decision to do so paid off.The Yankees plated two additional runs on an Oswaldo Cabrera single in the fourth. Their first five runs were all charged to Rays starter — and former Yankees farmhand — Zack Littell.“It was a lot of fun today,” said Wells, who had three hits. “It’s always great when the lineup’s rolling and everyone’s getting on base.”With the Yankees already up, Juan Soto then padded the lead in style.First, he crushed his own solo homer 424 feet to the suite level in right field during the seventh inning. Then he lined a three-run missile at 114.9 mph in the eighth.“I was just trying to make sure it was a fair ball,” Soto said after pretending to use his body to steer the first home run. “I was literally pulling with everything that I have to stay fair. So definitely, it was fun to see it.”Soto now has 25 home runs this season. He also has 21 multi-homer games in his career. According to the YES Network’s James Smyth, that’s tied for the second most ever by a player 25 or younger.Only Mel Ott (24) had more.“I was talking about this the other day with someone,” Rodón said when asked about Soto’s talent. “I’m like, ‘What do you think it feels like to be Juan Soto? Is it like when you’re in high school and you’re hitting .450 or you’re in college and it’s pretty easy? You’re hitting .350 and a bunch of homers.’ I don’t know.“It’s still a challenge, right? But he just makes it look easy.”Like Siri, Soto took his time rounding the bases on his first home run. While he jogged at a normal speed on the second jack, both teams enjoyed slow home run trots throughout the series.“It’s a new world,” Boone said before Monday’s game. “I look away sometimes. So that’s part of it. Guys are going to do what they do. It’s on us, each individual, to handle themselves how you want. And if somebody doesn’t like it, it’s on us to keep them in the ballpark.”Added Soto: “I don’t know what [Siri] was doing, actually. I just don’t know. For me, hot weather. Tough day. Tried to save the hammies and make sure it’s going nice and easy.”Now 60-42, the Yankees will host the Mets on Tuesday. Luis Gil will face Jose Quintana in the first game, while Gerrit Cole will oppose Sean Manaea in the last scheduled Subway Series game of the season on Wednesday.The last time these crosstown rivals played, the Mets won two games at Citi Field on June 25 and 26. Cole, in just his second start back from elbow inflammation, surrendered four home runs in the first game. Gil, in the midst of a rough patch at the time, allowed five earned runs in the second.Manaea, meanwhile, blanked the Yankees for five innings despite walking just as many batters in the second game.
Originally Published: July 22, 2024 at 5:38 p.m.

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