Left-hander Carlos Rodon was tabbed as the New York Yankees’ Opening Day starter on Friday by manager Aaron Boone.
The Yankees open the season at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27.
A serious injury to ace right-hander Gerrit Cole opened the door for Rodon to land the role. Cole underwent Tommy John surgery on Tuesday.
“It’s an honor,” Rodon told reporters. “I’m excited. Just want to go out there and win the game.”
Boone said left-hander Max Fried will start the second game. The former Atlanta Braves standout signed a eight-year, $218 million free-agent deal in the offseason.
Rodon is entering the third season of a six-year, $162 million deal. The 32-year-old is 19-17 with a 4.74 ERA in 46 starts with New York. The two-time All-Star won a career-best 16 games last season.
“I feel like his arsenal continues to evolve — the secondary stuff is getting stronger and stronger, the changeup becoming a real factor for him now,” Boone said of Rodon.
This will be Rodon’s second Opening Day. He also received the honor in 2019 for the Chicago White Sox. Rodon pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up three runs (two earned) and three hits in a 5-3 loss to the host Kansas City Royals.
“Honestly it’s just the first game of the season,” Rodon said. “It’s another baseball game. Take it like another game, it just so happens to be the first game of the year.”
Right-hander Freddy Peralta will start for the Brewers.
