new york yankees head coach had a fight with his team members
Carlos Rodón gave up two more homers over three-plus innings on Wednesday in the New York Yankees’ 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
AL batting champion Yandy Díaz homered on the game’s first pitch, a 93 mph fastball. Richie Palocios had a two-run drive on Rodón’s 60th and final offering at Tampa, Florida. Rodón allowed three runs and five hits
“He didn’t have great life on his fastball today,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I thought, really, in between the first and the last pitch I felt he pitched really well.”
Rodon went 3-8 with a 6.85 ERA in 14 starts during an injury-filled 2023. He is in the second season of a $162 million, six-year contract.
“I just need to stay on the mound,” Rodón said. “I’m pretty good when I’m healthy.”
Rodón was coming off a simulated game last Friday in which he allowed four homers to Yankees’ minor leaguers over three innings. He allowed one hit, a solo homer, in 2 1/3 innings against Toronto in his other spring training start on Feb. 25.
Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo returned to the lineup and struck out in all three at-bats. He had been out with a bruised left leg after getting hit by a pitch last Saturday against Baltimore.
Reliever Tommy Kahnle, slowed by a shoulder injury, said “it’s trending” that he won’t be ready for opening day and may not start pitching in rehab games until the first week of the regular season.
OHTANI KEEPS HITTINGDodgers star Shohei Ohtani went 2 for 2 with a walk against the Chicago White Sox and is 7 of 12 with seven RBIs so far in Cactus League play.
The 29-year-old Ohtani is in his first season with the Dodgers since signing a record $700 million, 10-year contract. The two-way Japanese star had right elbow surgery in September that will keep him from pitching this year.
