CHICAGO (670 The Score) – After rallying from an early four-run deficit to earn a 12-6 win against the Astros in Game 3 at Guaranteed Rate Field on Sunday night, the White Sox will turn to left-hander Carlos Rodon in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Monday to keep their season alive.
Rodon gets the nod after battling lingering injuries in the second half of the season, notably shoulder soreness that led to his velocity to drop from the 96-97 mph range to 91-93 mph range lately. Rodon will work on 11 days rest, as he hasn’t pitched since Sept. 29.
“The last few days, it seemed like I've turned a corner,” Rodon said of his health and recovery. “Ball is coming out good. I feel good. I feel ready.”
Rodon went 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA ad 0.96 WHIP in 132 2/3 inning in 24 starts in the regular season after he missed most of the 2019 season and part of 2020 due to Tommy John surgery.
“My goal this year was to just get through the whole season and obviously perform,” Rodon said. “I think just staying on the field and getting through the whole season, the performance would just take care of itself. I wouldn't call it injury. You know, it's more arm fatigue and soreness, to be honest.
“If we go back and look at the last two years, it was, what, seven innings last year, 40 innings the year before and then this year it jumped to, what, 130, 130 something. I think it was just – you know, it's a big workload. It's not that I don't want to take on the workload. It's just – it's kind of hard on the body, I guess.
“That's not an excuse. It just is what it is. I'm still standing here now trying to get on the mound and pitch, do my job.”
Rodon was dominant in two starts against the Astros in the regular season, going a combined 14 innings and allowing just one earned run on just four hits and three walks while striking out 18.
“Two days ago, he felt better,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Sunday afternoon. “Yesterday, he felt better and today he feels better, so there's a progress there that we're optimistic. And if he warms up, like I say – we want to get to that, we get to that. We'll watch him warm up. If not, we'll have somebody ready behind him.”
For his part, Astros manager Dusty Baker wasn’t sure what to expect out of Rodon.
“Well, it all depends which Rodon is present,” Baker said. “I mean, he – according to our reports, you know, he hasn't been throwing quite as hard as he was before, but maybe the rest did him well. We'll see tomorrow. We'll see which Rodon that we'll be facing.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.