Carlos Rodón wouldn’t exactly describe himself as “pissed off” heading into a potential Game 6 start against the Dodgers as Anthony Rizzo described him on Tuesday.
Rodón would take the mound if the Yankees win on Wednesday in Game 5, and they haven’t given up hope that they can do the improbable by coming back from an 0-3 deficit in the World Series.
Rizzo had pointed to a “pissed off Rodón” as one of the things that gives him hope the Yankees can come back.
“Hopefully it’s the right description. I wouldn’t say pissed off,” Rodón said before Game 5 on Wednesday.
The potential Game 6 starter struggled to find the right phrase to describe his mindset headed into the outing.
“I don’t know. Mildly upset and under control. That’s too wordy,” he joked.
Rodón would be coming off a dismal start in Game 2 against the Dodgers.
He pitched just 3 1/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits, which included three home runs by Los Angeles.
Rodón has gone 2-2 in four postseason starts this year and has a 5.60 ERA.
Rodón said that there was a “happy medium” when it comes to finding the right mindset for a big start like he could be facing on Friday night.
“There’s a fine line,” he said. “I can’t be the buddy-buddy guy. I can’t be the guy that’s super, super mad. I have to kind of ride the fence. I can’t go left or right.”
For Rodón to even be tasked with a start in Game 6, the Yankees will need to win in The Bronx on Wednesday night with Gerrit Cole on the mound.