AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS YANKEES

October 18, 2024

Carlos Rodon

Progressive Field

New York Yankees

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. After the way last night ended, just how excited are you before your start tomorrow for the team to get back out there tonight?

CARLOS RODÓN: Yeah, as a baseball fan, what an incredible game. Obviously we were on the tougher end of it. It was in our hands. We would have loved to have won that game, but that's not how the story is written.

It's tough to swallow one like that, but that's postseason baseball. It's pretty magical at times.

Q. You have pitched really well here in your career, obviously a lot, having been in Chicago. .309 ERA in this ballpark. What's the key to pitching in this place?

CARLOS RODÓN: I don't know. It's just one of those things where sometimes as players, you show up to certain places and you pitch well. Sometimes you don't pitch well.

I'm sure we could find somewhere out of the 30 ballparks here that I don't pitch well in. Unfortunately I do pitch well in this one because tomorrow is going to be a pretty big game.

Q. Your ERA was much better at home, like a run and a half better at home than it was on the road. Have you been able to pinpoint anything to your road struggles this year?

CARLOS RODÓN: No, I haven't looked at it at all. I haven't paid much mind to it. I don't know. I can't tell you. I can't give you an answer on why that is.

Q. As you look to your success in Game 1, what are the things in particular you're really digging into, repeating and having at your disposal?

CARLOS RODÓN: I think tonight I'll go home and do a little bit of just rewatching of Game 1 and see how I sequenced. As far as what I'm going to use tomorrow, I'm not really going to be able to tell you that. But I know I'm going to go out there and compete the same way, similar to what I did.

Q. What do you think was the key for you in your last start compared to the first start? What did you do much better?

CARLOS RODÓN: Yeah, I think I was very mindful of -- I think I was mindful of where I was emotionally, and then I think focus-wise, I was -- I'm always pretty focused -- not pretty. I'm always very focused on the task at hand, obviously, when I'm on the mound. But I kept it pretty simple.

I thought that I stayed within and just controlled what was in front of me. And everything behind me and things that I couldn't control, I just kind of brushed it off. I thought I was very good at that.

Q. Does the big picture matter at all to you if you're going out there up 3-1 or tied 2-2?

CARLOS RODÓN: I'm pitching tomorrow regardless. I think it's one of those things where my goal is to go out there and get a win for our team.