In the first of a three-game series, the Yankees fell to the Cubs 3-0 on Friday night at Carlos Rodonteam debut.
Here are the takeaways…
1. Carlos Rodon took the ball in his debut with the Yankees after signing a huge free-agent deal this past winter. After missing the opening three months due to injury, the left-hander made his first start in New York and looked sharp in the opening frame. He retired to the side of the range and fanned Ian Happ with a 97mph fastball for his first strikeout in pinstripes.
Rodon remained perfect through two innings before Chicago struck for one Cody Bellinger home run to the second deck in right field. The left-hander came back to end the frame and pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning.
The left-hander started to lose control in the fifth inning with a pair of walks. With two in and two out, Nico Hoerner fired a base hit to right to double Chicago’s lead. Rodon escaped further damage in the fifth and was efficient overall with 59 pitches in five frames.
In 69 pitches, Aron Boone made a move to the bullpen after Rodon threw 5.1 innings with just four hits and two runs while striking out two.
2. Jameson Taillon started in Chicago when he returned to Yankee Stadium. In two seasons with the Yankees, the right-hander went 22-11 with a 4.08 ERA. On Friday, the right-hander allowed just one hit and held the Yankees scoreless for the first time through the order. Taillon mixed speeds and kept hitters off balance until the fifth as the Yankees offense struggled for the second straight night with just two baserunners through six innings.
Taillon finished his seventh inning on a hit ball when Harrison Bader bounced into a double play and worked eight innings and 102 pitches. The outing marked Taillon’s best outing of 2023 and his second scoreless performance of the season in addition to his five shutout frame against the Dodgers on April 15.
3. Ian Hamilton came on in relief for Rodon in the sixth inning. After walking Christopher MorelHamilton made a double play ball to end the inning and officially close the book on Rodon’s outing.
4. Patrick Wisdom added another insurance run in the seventh inning when he hit a double to left field Ron Marinaccio. A pair of impact defensive plays wiped out two Cubs runners to end the inning. Anthony Volpe threw out Wisdom running at third base before Kyle Higashioka Hoerner was caught stealing.
5. Clay Holmes worked a scoreless ninth inning and struck out the side to give the offense a chance in the bottom of the frame. For the Cubs, Adbert Alzolay faced the minimum to earn the save and secure a 3-0 win for Chicago.
Highlights
What’s next?
The Yankees continue their series with the Chicago Cubs in the Bronx on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m
