Latest on Yankees’ Carlos Rodon, who got hurt while being shelled again

NEW YORK — Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon tried to talk his way into staying in Sunday’s game. Left hamstring tightness bothered him for a couple third-inning pitches, but after a short rest during a huddle with two athletic trainers and his manager plus two warm-up pitches, the left-hander felt good to go.

Besides, Rodon wanted a chance to finish his start well, not have this one also end with a very poor line.

BUY YANKEES TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETSMARTER, TICKETMASTER

Rodon didn’t get his way and was pulled with the Yankees trailing the Astros 5-1 and on their way to a 9-7 defeat.

“It was one of those things where (the trainers) had a job,” Rodon said. “They had to keep the player safe. Obviously, I want to compete and stay on the field. I wanted to get to more outs.”

The Yankees wanted to do all they could to prevent last winter’s $162 million free agent investment from ending back up on the injured list, his home for the first half of the 2023 season.

Rodon believes he will be available for his next start, but he won’t know for sure until Monday when he has an MRI.

“Obviously, we won’t know until that imaging comes, but I’m confident that I’m available for whatever they need me to do,” Rodon said.

What the Yankees really need from Rodon, besides a favorable MRI, is better pitching. He’s 1-4 with a 7.33 ERA in six starts.

Walks and homers have been killing Rodon, and they were Sunday’s poison.

With the Yankees up 1-0, Rodon walked two of the first four Astros in the third inning, then Chas McCormick hit a three-run homer.

In the fourth, Jose Abreu led off with a bunt single and was on third base when Yordan Alvarez blasted a two-run, one-out homer to put the Yankees in a 5-1 hole.

Rodon has walked 18 and allowed eight homers in 27 innings this season. Pitching for the Giants last year, an All-Star season for Rodon, he issued 52 walks and gave up only 12 homers in working a career-high 178 innings

“Yeah, the walks definitely keep hurting me,” Rodon said. “(The homers are) getting up there quick. I would like them to stop. That’s for sure. That’s a fact.”

Rodon left Sunday’s game two batters after Alvarez’ homer. With Chas McCormick at the plate, Rodon felt hamstring discomfort on a pitch.

“I just felt it grab for a second,” Rodon said. “It felt like a cramp.”

Rodon threw another pitch and felt the same thing, more grabbing. At the point, Rodon signaled to the Yankees dugout for the trainers to check on him.

“I got them to come out and took a break,” he said. “Honestly after that, it felt fine. It’s kind of more of a precautionary thing (leaving the game). In this moment, I feel normal. It’s one of those things where I’ll see what (Monday holds.”

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.

Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected].