Carlos Rodón returned to Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on Friday night, facing his former team, the White Sox, for the first time as a visiting starting pitcher. Rodón spent seven seasons with the White Sox and threw a no-hitter at this ballpark in 2021.
Rodón reflected on his evolution as a pitcher since his days with Chicago. “I’m more of a pitcher than a thrower, I would say,” Rodón said. “I rely on some weaker contact and let the defense work. The style is a little different. I’m still somewhat of a power pitcher, but I’m not just going to blow fastballs by you. I’m not stubborn.”
He held the White Sox to one run and seven hits over six innings, striking out five and walking two. About 30 friends and family attended the game, which included an acknowledgment from the scoreboard during the second inning. “I was grateful for it. I was just trying to stay focused,” Rodón said.
The Yankees’ win marked their sixth straight victory, bringing them within three games of first place in the American League East behind Toronto—their closest position since July 22.
“It’s a fun time of year. There’s a lot on the line,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s not something we can worry too much about. We’ve got to handle our business, play our game and go.”
Boone commented on Rodón’s growth: “He’s just a more complete pitcher,” Boone said. “If you’re going to have real longevity in this game, you’ve got to be able to adjust and adapt. And he’s done that.”
Trent Grisham hit his fourth career grand slam—and second this season—in the fourth inning off Yoendrys Gómez for his 28th home run of 2025, setting a new personal best. It was also Grisham’s seventh homer in ten games.
“I like it, and I want to get there a lot more often,” Grisham said about maintaining focus at the plate. “It’s really hard to do on a night-in and night-out basis, just because we’re humans. But getting there, it’s a big thrill to do it. And then to do it with a bunch of guys that are trying to do the exact same thing, playing against the best players in the world every night, it’s really special.”
Boone expressed satisfaction with Grisham’s production: If told before spring training that Grisham would reach these numbers while leading off—“I would have signed up for that in a heartbeat.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr., who joined New York before this season (https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/jazz-chisholm-jr-yankees-trade), stole his 25th base Friday night—becoming only the seventh player in franchise history with at least 25 homers and 25 steals in one season.
Anthony Volpe added another home run late in the game as New York reached double-digit runs for their third consecutive contest.
“I never take anyone lightly on the schedule, ever,” Boone said regarding upcoming opponents as September approaches. “That’s not lip service — it’s the big leagues. If you don’t play well, you’re going to get beat.”
