The White Sox wrapped up their season-opening series with the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, with one of the more discussed topics among their fan base being the team’s decision not to re-sign starting pitcher Carlos Rodon this offseason. Rodon signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants and made his 2022 debut on Saturday, striking out 12 batters over five innings. Despite the impressive debut to the season, the White Sox were in the right not to re-sign their former 2014 first-round draft selection.
𝟭𝟮 strikeouts in 5 innings for Carlos Rodón in his San Francisco Giants debut! Take a look and listen!
First in Giants history to have a 12 K game with <90 pitches (and that's only happened 17 times in AL/NL history)! pic.twitter.com/4piSXUlcLz
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 10, 2022
Although Talented, Rodon Proved To Be Unreliable Due To His Health
When the White Sox drafted Rodon in the 2014 MLB Draft with the third overall selection, it appeared that they were getting a future top of the rotation starter who had elite-level talent. The left-handed starter would make his MLB debut less than a year later, in late April of 2015. Rodon, as a rookie, would start 23 games, recording a 9-6 record with a 3.75 ERA.
Unfortunately, following his rookie season, Rodon would battle significant injuries throughout the remainder of his White Sox career. From 2016 through 2021, he would be on the disabled and injured list at least once each season. Rodon would only start 39 games from 2017 to 2019, including not making his season debut until June in both 2017 and 2018. He would miss most of the 2019 season due to needing Tommy John surgery after making only seven starts.
Due to the delayed and shortened 2020 season, Rodon was able to return to the White Sox but again battled injuries as he only recorded seven innings in four appearances. Many believed following the severely disappointing 2020 season that Chicago would not re-sign the often injured pitcher, but the team re-signed him to a one-year deal worth three million dollars.
Rodon surprised the White Sox and the fans at the start of last season as he won his first five starts, including a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians on April 14th. He would only allow two runs over his first five starts and recorded 44 strikeouts. Rodon would finish the 2021 season with a 13-5 record with a 2.37 ERA over 24 starts. Due to a terrific first half of the season, Chicago’s left-hander was named to his first All-Star game also.
Love this for Carlos Rodon.
No. 3 overall pick.
Labeled by some as a bust after numerous shoulder injuries sidelined him.
Shoulder surgery in 2018.
Tommy John surgery in 2019.
Non-tendered by the White Sox in 2020.
Makes history by throwing a no-hitter in 2021. pic.twitter.com/yMAJWYffNl
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) April 15, 2021
Despite Rodon’s success in 2021, the White Sox and their fans were still worried if his health would hold up for the duration of the season and the playoffs. Chicago had their starter miss a few starts in the second half of the season to help ensure that he would remain healthy during the playoffs. In Rodon’s lone playoff start against the Houston Astros, he only pitched two and two-thirds innings giving up two runs on three hits and two walks.
During the offseason, Rodon signed his two-year deal with the Giants worth 44 million dollars after the White Sox chose not to re-sign. The money he signed for would have been too much for Chicago as he has not proven that he can stay fully healthy nor be effective in the playoffs. Rodon, during his eight-year career, has only started more than 25 games in a season once while only throwing 150 innings or more in a season once. Given his significant struggles to stay healthy over the past six seasons, there was no way the White Sox could justify the cost of the contract.
Velasquez = $3 Million
Craig Kimbrel = $16 millionCarlos Rodon’s Qualifying Offer = $18.4 million.
Velasquez is cooked, & they can’t even move Kimbrel’s contract. #WhiteSox still looking for a LHP to replace Carlos Rodon. Even if he rejected, Sox would Receive a 2nd Rd Pick. https://t.co/hm5UvTyJ8l
— TheMoncadaArmada (@HashTagWhiteSox) March 29, 2022
The White Sox Do Deserve Criticism For Failure To Properly Replace Rodon In Free Agency
Although the White Sox fan may not be in the right to criticize the franchise for not re-signing Rodon, their criticism for not replacing him with another starter is justified. During the offseason, Chicago made no significant attempts to sign a proven free-agent starting pitcher, despite having the financial flexibility to do so. With veteran free-agent pitchers such as 2021 American League Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Max Scherzer, and Steven Matz available, the White Sox chose not to pursue any of them
Following the resolution of the MLB lockout in March, Chicago would sign free agent starters Vince Velasquez and Johnny Cueto to one-year deals to provide depth but still did not add a significant free-agent pitcher. The White Sox’s decision not to add a proven starting pitcher is extremely concerning due to the current injuries to the starting rotation. Lucas Giolito left the season opener after only four innings due to an abdominal injury that will force him to miss at least two starts. This injury comes following Lance Lynn’s knee injury that will keep him out of action until late May at the earliest.
When the #WhiteSox lost in the ALDS, the biggest takeaway was the weakness of their starting rotation.
Since then, they’ve let Carlos Rodon walk with a qualifying offer, watched Lance Lynn and Garret Crochet get hurt, and failed to add anybody to an already depleted rotation.
— Sam Phalen (@Sam_Phalen) April 3, 2022
Heading into the offseason following the 2021 season, the White Sox knew they would need to add another starting pitcher due to Rodon’s free-agent status and Dallas Keuchel’s struggles in the second half of the season. Many fans and analysts believed the team would sign a free agent pitcher to replace Keuchel, as he was left off the playoff roster due to his 2021 struggles.
Although some free-agent pitchers may have proved too costly for Chicago to pursue, Matz was potentially a perfect option for the team. The former Mets pitcher has proven to be a durable starter as he has started 29 games or more in each of the last three full seasons. Matz won 14 games and recorded an ERA of 3.82 with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021. During free agency this past offseason, he signed a four-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals worth 44 million dollars, a contract the White Sox could have easily afforded.
Steven Matz finishes the season with a 3.76 ERA over 150 2/3 innings.
A fantastic finish to a solid season. Matz has been truly valuable to this rotation and set himself up nicely for free agency. #BlueJays
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) October 2, 2021
There is valid criticism for the White Sox and general manager Rick Hahn’s lack of action to address the team’s starting pitcher needs in free agency, but not re-signing Rodon isn’t valid. The left-handed pitcher proved to be unreliable, especially for a team in a championship window. There was never a question about the talent Rodon possessed, but there were continuous questions always regarding his health.
