New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has named left-hander Carlos Rodon as the starting pitcher for Opening Day of the 2025 season. This decision comes after ace Gerrit Cole was injured and underwent Tommy John surgery that will keep him out of action for the entire season.
The second Opening Day start of his career
Rodon, 32, is entering the third season of a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees. Last season, he posted a 3.96 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 175 innings. This will be his second Opening Day start; the first was in 2019 with the Chicago White Sox.
The inaugural game is scheduled for March 27 at Yankee Stadium, where the Yankees will host the Milwaukee Brewers. Right-hander Freddy Peralta will be the starter for the Brewers
Max Fried will start Game 2 of the series
The Yankees’ rotation for the start of the season will include Max Fried, who signed an eight-year, $218 million contract in the offseason and is scheduled to start the second game. Other pitchers who will round out the rotation are Marcus Stroman, Clarke Schmidt and Will Warren, especially in the absence of Luis Gil, who is also injured.
Rodon excited by the opportunity
Rodon expressed his excitement at the opportunity, stating:
It’s an honor. I’m excited. I just want to go out and win the game
Although he recognizes the importance of Opening Day, he emphasizes that he will approach it like any other game, with the main goal of contributing to the team’s success.
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