2023 MLB Free Agent Preview: Carlos Rodón
After an incredible season with the San Francisco Giants, Carlos Rodón is ready to test the waters. He opted out of his contract with the team after one season and is now one of the most sought-after arms on the market.
2022 Review
The big lefty went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA and a career-high 237 strikeouts. Surprisingly, this year was also the first time Rodón pitched in over 30 games in his whole career, which led to a career-high 178 innings pitched along with a 12 K/9 — the best in all of baseball. He made the All-Star team for the second time in his career and will carry his heavy strikeout numbers into free agency.
Potential Landing Spots
There’s still a chance Rodón could re-sign with the Giants for a better deal. Especially if they can land some other top-tier free agents, it may change his mind and lead to Rodón staying.
San Francisco Giants
It was only one season for Rodón in a Giants uniform. The same team that won over 100 games in 2021, with the potential to do it again. They’re linked to Aaron Judge, and it would be hard to leave if that’s the case. Besides, the Bay Area is pretty cool.
St. Louis Cardinals
I believe this one is most likely. The Cardinals have been connected to Rodón several times, including at the 2022 trade deadline. The Cardinals also need to make a big splash in that rotation after a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt aren’t getting younger, and Adam Wainwright is about to embark on his final season in the league. Adding an arm like Rodón could give that rotation the push it needs.
Texas Rangers
Jacob deGrom is already a possibility there, but if not, then Rodón could be a great alternative. They already spent half a billion dollars last offseason and might as well keep going to build a championship team. They need pitching badly, and their best one, Martin Perez, is also a free agent. He won’t completely save them, but it’s a good first step for the Rangers.
New York Yankees
Similar to Justin Verlander, the Yankees just need that one last piece to make their rotation complete. Even with how good their rotation has been at times; it hasn’t found consistently. Rodón has that, which could stabilize the Yankees pitching drastically. Especially with Judge possibly leaving, the Yankees will have money to spend.
New York Mets
Steve Cohen is already paying Max Scherzer $40 million a year, why not add on? The Mets are set to lose Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker, and possibly deGrom, and the last thing the team needs is to get weaker. Adding a piece like Rodón is essentially getting another ace, and if the Mets can retain the rest, that rotation is looking elite.
The Verdict
While the Giants are still in the mix, it looks like they’ll end up losing the sweepstakes. So many other teams are going to offer more, as pitchers usually get paid more than what they are worth. Regardless, Rodón will get a huge payday, and I believe that’ll come from the Cardinals. They could use the pitching, and they have a team in a very short window.
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