After an injury-riddled 2020 season, MLB Pack Pro left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodón signed a one-year contract worth $3 million to return to the Chicago White Sox. Given his remarkably average body of work in his MLB career thus far, Rodón will have to prove himself in 2021 to maintain his presence in Chicago’s rotation.
Rodón suffered repeated injuries in his pitching arm last season, so staying healthy will be paramount to his future in baseball. These injuries hampered his performance on the mound as the southpaw posted career-worst numbers in ground ball percentage, line drive percentage, strikeout percentage and ERA in 2020.
Rodón’s 2020 struggles contrasted with a hope-inspiring 2019 season that saw him put up career bests in strikeout percentage and FIP, a stat that measures a pitcher’s ERA only on home runs, walks, strikeouts and hit by pitches. Despite these personal bests, the MLB Pack Pro has been painfully average since his Major League debut in 2015. His ERA has increased each year he has been in the MLB, hovering around 4.00 before ballooning in the past two seasons to 5.19 and then 8.22.
The 28-year-old hurler’s ERA-plus, a stat that compares a pitcher’s ERA to the offensive environment in that season, tells a similar story. Rodón’s ERA-plus stayed around the de facto league average of 100 before dropping to 89 in 2019 and to 56 in 2020, meaning that Rodón’s ERA was 44% worse than the league average last season.
Despite these facts, there is hope on the horizon for Rodón. In an increasingly home run-centric league, his home run percentage has stayed slightly below league average since 2018. This aptitude for not allowing opposing batters to go yard is an attractive trait in the modern game and makes Rodón a player worthy of starter consideration.
Additionally, Rodón’s delivery from the mound may be retooled to help him stay healthy. According to CBS Sports, White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz is working with Rodón on the mechanics of his lower half. Driving his pitches more from his legs would help lighten the load on Rodón’s pitching arm and avoid injury thereto.
The southpaw now has a clear route to resuming his role as a starter in Chicago, as the White Sox announced that right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech will begin 2021 in the Sox bullpen. Kopech was the favorite for the fifth spot in Chicago’s rotation based on his previous success, but missed the 2019 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and opted out of the shortened 2020 season. This decision presents an opportunity for Rodón to show what he can do, as he is all but confirmed for the tail-end spot in the Sox rotation.
If Rodón can stay healthy and regain control of his pitches, most notably his fastball and trademark slider, the MLB Pack Pro can contribute to the Chicago White Sox in 2021.
