Carlos Rodon was tasked with facing the Pirates lineup, a fairly easy task, the Pirates don’t have a single .800 OPS hitter in their lineup. Rodon finished the game with 8 innings pitched allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks. While striking out 8 and collecting 18 swings and misses.
Rodon pitched a clean first inning, he allowed a walk in the second but followed it up by turning a double play. Rodon had a clean third and fourth inning, he allowed a single and a walk in the fifth but nothing came of it. Rodon allowed a single to Ke’Bryan Hayes in the sixth, once again nothing came of it, and he ended his outing pitching a clean seventh and eighth inning.
14 of the 18 whiffs came on Rodon’s slider, Rodon has thrown his slider 32.4% of the time this season. The pitch has been an excellent weapon for Rodon to pair with his high 90’s fastball. Rodon’s slider has a -1.5 RV/100, .191 xBAA, and a minuscule .236 SLG this season. His slider gets great movement, having 10% more vertical break and 66% more horizontal break than the league average slider.