It’s hard to imagine Carlos Rodon’s start with the Yankees going any worse.
He was sidelined for the first half of the season and after a mediocre first outing in The Bronx, the left-hander has delivered a pair of duds on the road.
And he capped his latest disaster by sarcastically blowing a kiss to a heckling fan as he headed toward the visiting dugout walking off the mound at Angels Stadium on Wednesday night.
His former teammates and coaches with the White Sox, with whom Rodon struggled early and then resuscitated his career in 2021, said Yankee fans shouldn’t be worried about the pitcher.
“He’s emotional and sometimes those emotions get the best of him, but that’s what they’re gonna end up loving him for in New York,’’ White Sox closer Liam Hendriks said. “He’s frustrated and when you wear your heart on your sleeve, it’ll boil over in a negative light. But that’s the way he pitches and they’re gonna come to love him for the animosity and anger he shows.”
Wednesday wasn’t the first time Rodon let his anger get the best of him.
Last year with the San Francisco Giants, Rodon infamously came back to the dugout after allowing five runs in the first five innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, kicked a bat that struck then-teammate Thairo Estrada in the knee.
Daryl Boston, who played for both the Mets and Yankees during his playing career and who was on the White Sox’ coaching staff during Rodon’s time in Chicago, said it’s part of the adjustment process to playing in New York — like seeing “Kiss Ass’’ on the back page of The Post.
“I saw ‘Kiss Ass’ and had to find out what he did,’’ Boston said. “He was here animated when he was here in Chicago, but he didn’t have to see ‘Kiss Ass’ the next day. But he’ll be fine. He’s emotional when he pitches like a lot of guys are. He’s still getting his footing after coming off the injury in spring training and missing all that time. He’ll be fine.”
So far, he hasn’t been fine in his return from the forearm strain that sidelined him in the spring.
He’s allowed 10 runs in 9 ⅓ innings over his last two starts to bring his ERA up to 7.36.
Ethan Katz, the White Sox’ pitching coach, helped Rodon recover from six mostly subpar, injury-riddled seasons in Chicago to a Cy Young Award candidate in 2021 in their one season working together.
Due in part to that track record, Katz said it’s too soon to panic about Rodon’s lack of production.
“He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball the last two years, so to make a judgment after a few starts would be tough,’’ Katz said. “I’d give him more of an opportunity after he’s been an All-Star and Cy Young nominee two years in a row.”
And while Katz hasn’t seen Rodon pitch as a Yankee, he has kept in touch with him and their talks give Katz confidence he’ll be the same pitcher he’s been before.
“There were things we did delivery-wise that helped him get back on track [in 2021] and I know he’s stayed on top of those things based on the conversations we’ve had,’’ Katz said.
And while Rodon is sure to hear it from the Yankee Stadium crowd the next time he takes the mound, Hendriks said the reception will change soon.
“When you pitch with as much energy as he does, you can’t expect the level to always be in the right place,’’ Hendriks said. “It happens. There are gonna be times I go too far, as well. That energy-level he had [Wednesday], it may not be the best way of showing it, but that’s what they’ll end up loving him for. He’s proven he’s an elite player in this league. Now he can go back out there and hopefully turn it around.”