A month ago, Carlos Rodón struggled for the fifth starting spot in the Chicago White Sox rotation after undergoing surgery on Tommy John, dealing with shoulder problems and not being offered by the team.
On Wednesday, he completes the 20th no-hitter in White Sox history.
The left-hander penetrated the history books against the Cleveland Indians, who allowed no hits in nine innings for the second White Sox no-hitter in as many years. Lucas Giolito achieved the same in 2020. It is also the second no-no in MLB this year, less than a week after Joe Musgrove’s historic night.
Just as impressive as Rodón could not spot, he was only two out of the 24th perfect game in MLB history. A hit from Roberto Perez’s ankle led to Cleveland’s first lead in the ninth innings. An ominous song by the faithful guarantor follows.
Rodón’s last line: nine innings, no shots, no runs, one hit, seven shots, 114 spots.
The impressiveness of the night contributed to Rodón only getting stronger. His first fast ball of the night came in at 92.4 km / h, and his speed progressed until he hit 98.8 km / h against the last batsman of the match.
A beautiful return for Carlos Rodón
Either way, the performance is a stunning achievement for Rodón, a former prospect and a third overall choice that has become a reflection in Chicago’s current youth movement.
In the six seasons before 2021, Rodón had an ERA of 4.14 and has struggled especially since 2018. He was always a talented pitcher, he simply could not stay healthy and never took the step, so many expected of him . His nadir took place in 2020 when he made only four appearances (8.22 ERA) in a sporadic manner due to a shoulder problem, possibly in connection with an operation in Tommy John in 2019. After the season, the White Sox called him not offered.
Rodón returned to Chicago with a $ 3 million one-year deal and practiced spring in a battle with Reynaldo Lopez for the fifth frontrunner. He earned the nod after three strong starts and attributed to a change in mechanics for his progress, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com:
‘I think a lot of it made me more consistent with my fast ball and my control over all my places.
‘My mechanics cleaned a lot and removed a lot of stress from my body as a whole. It’s less strain on my arm as I throw now than before, because I utilize my lower half better. It just takes that energy, or that tension, out of my arm. I feel confident that it can carry me through an entire season. ”
Rodón opened his season with 14 exclusions and a bit of history. In a season of great hope for the White Sox, that might just be a good sign.
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