White Sox lefty has battled injuries recently, could miss start of season next year. Should team explore a trade for former first round pick in the future?
For those of you who have read my articles, you can clearly tell how I feel about Carlos Rodon. He is an elite talent, who has the ability to pitch at the front of any major league rotation. However, there seems to be a chink in his amour and that is injuries. Any pitcher who can’t stay healthy is hard to pencil in at no.1 or no.2, so what should Rick Hahn do with their talented lefty?
As of right now, there isn’t a whole lot they can do due to his injury situation. Meanwhile, if Rodon does finish up 2018 strong, should Hahn consider moving him for a boatload of top prospects? Keep in mind that Rodon will not be a free agent until after the 2021 season, therefore his value is likely to be sky high.
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Another reason the Sox should consider moving their highly touted youngster, is that it is unlikely Rodon will sign a $100 million deal anytime soon. If that is the case, when you combine his talent and contract status, countless front offices would fight over him, meaning Rick Hahn could try to drive his price up.
Here is where the Sox are caught in a bit of a conundrum, Rodon’s injury history. To begin, Rodon underwent shoulder surgery in late September and will not return for at least six months after the surgery date. On top of that, Rodon is a pitcher who has never started 30 games in a major league season, with twelve being his lowest total.
To put another layer of difficulty on Hahn’s decision-making process, is that Rodon could eventually succeed somewhere else. Given this is a player that has not been able to keep his ERA below 3.75 in any MLB season. However, if Rodon can put it all together it is possible he could become an ace of a staff.
With that being the case, the Sox are caught in the middle in regards to Rodon. They have a slew of talented pitching in the minors, however, Rodon has an elite slider and a plus fastball. He needs to start going deeper in ballgames, not to mention stay on the field for an entire season. But, is that enough to keep him around?
Just to summarize all of this, Rick Hahn has an incredibly difficult decision to make for a front office. Rodon is a former no.3 overall draft pick, not to mention is someone the organization seems to think highly of. But baseball is a business, and if the Sox don’t want Rodon to be another top pick lost to injury, a trade may be necessary.
Next: Will White Sox Be Aggressive in Free Agency This Offseason?
Overall, Rodon is an important part of the Sox rebuild whichever direction they choose to take. Another thing to keep in mind is that they don’t have to trade him after 2018, due to the fact he is under their control for another four seasons. With that scenario the Sox have the upper hand, meaning they have time to spare when deciding what route to take when determining what to do with their young lefty.
The offseason is here Sox fans! Ready for the Hot Stove to heat up?