New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodón has spent this season proving himself as a load-bearing element for the Yankees’ success. With Game 3 fast approaching, Rodón is getting ready to compete for some of the marbles they’ll need to advance beyond the ALDS. Between games, he opened up about the challenges of facing the Toronto Blue Jays’ offense.

“They’re tough to strike out,” Rodón said, h/t Peter Sblendorio of the New York Daily News. “They force action. They put the ball in play. They make teams play defense. They’re pretty athletic. There’s also slug within the lineup, and it makes it tough.”

“There’s times where you need a strikeout, and just the [swing and] miss isn’t there. They seem to have a really good understanding of the zone as well, so the chase is low, and there’s not much miss. They have a good idea of what they want to do at the plate.”

Rodón will also need to worry about run support from a Yankees lineup who have been largely quiet in the postseason. Game 1 of the ALDS ended in a brutal 10-1 loss, and though the Yankees managed to climb back to a 13-7 loss in Game 2, they were down 12-0 in the sixth inning. The Blue Jays offense are not messing around, but Rodón is a powerful force, and the Yankees get to play this third game at home. And the fourth, should they be so lucky.

Oct 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) reacts after a double play during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Rodón ended the regular season with a 3.09 ERA in 33 starts with an 18-9 record. He and Max Fried have been load-bearing for the Yankees all year, but Fried folded under pressure in Game 2, and Rodón will need to break an unfortunate trend. His teammates and Yankee leadership seem to have no doubts he’ll rise to the occasion.

“He’s been obviously one of our horses this year,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Rodón on the Yankees’ off day. “He’s had a great year, and any time we give him the ball, we feel like we have an excellent chance to win. That will be the same [in Game 3]. He’ll be ready to roll.”

“Every time he’s on the mound, [I have] full confidence in him,” Cody Bellinger said. “I just love who he is as a competitor.”

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