Carlos Rodon was perfect through 8 1/3 innings tonight against the Indians. A backfoot slider skipped off the top of Roberto Perez’s right foot, ending his bid for a perfect game. Rodon managed to complete the no hitter, however, with a masterful 114-pitch complete game shutout. Coming into this season, the former third overall pick was in a battle for the fifth starter job in the White Sox rotation. But tonight, the burly southpaw routinely hit 97 mph on the radar gun (hitting as high as 99 mph in the ninth inning). Certainly, Rodon wasn’t all that high up on the list of pitchers likeliest to throw what would have been the first perfect game in the Majors since 2012: He hasn’t posted an ERA under five since 2018, and he was designated for assignment this winter. Yet, tonight’s start marked the culmination of an arduous journey through numerous injuries and multiple arm surgeries. Congrats to Rodon on throwing the 20th no-hitter in White Sox franchise history. Now, let’s check in on some players still making their way back from injury…
- Cody Bellinger and Brusdar Graterol will both join the Dodgers on their forthcoming road trip, but neither is a guarantee to be activated. Belligner is still experiencing some swelling in his calf, and he’s yet to run the bases as full speed, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com (via Twitter). Bellinger has been out since April 5th. As for Graterol, he’ll be added to the taxi squad, per Jorge Castillo of the LA Times (via Twitter). It’s not entirely clear why Graterol wasn’t ready to start the season, but it’s only a matter of time until he becomes available out of the bullpen for manager Dave Roberts.
- Nomar Mazara left Wednesday night’s game with a left abdominal strain, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. There’s no timetable for his return. In the meantime, JaCoby Jones and Victor Reyes should have more opportunities in the starting lineup. Both outfielders have seen their playing time cut both by the offseason acquisition of Robbie Grossman and the early-season breakout from Akil Baddoo. Both Reyes (30 wRC+) and Jones (-10 wRC+) are off to slow starts through their first week of games.
- Ross Stripling is dealing with forearm tightness, but the Blue Jays don’t have any information beyond that, per Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports (via Twitter). The former Dodger has been tagged for seven earned runs on 13 hits and three walks over 8 1/3 innings so far.
Congrats to Rodon! Wasn’t Perez fault but it sucks to see
TLR can’t be happy about this; hopefully he doesn’t take it out on Rodon or have them intentionally throw at Perez next game.
LaRussa is the parent that asks why their kid got one A-minus on a report card full of A’s.
This guy has made it through TJS, wrist and shoulder injuries, To come back and throw a no-no and this is your response? Such a bad take. Enjoy the game of baseball. I sure did tonight!
Perez could have moved 1 inch…
Doesn’t take away from Carlos’ magnificent performance!!!
Congrats, Carlos!!
Mercedes another 3 hit game and a bomb HR!! BA holding steady at .500.
Overshadowed tonight though by Rodon!
Carlos Rodon could have threw a perfect slider that didn’t hit Perez in the toe.
Yup.
Rodon could have used a less nasty slider. He could have also just blown him away with 98 MPH.
Rodon was great but the home plate ump was an absolute joke on a few of those strike 3 calls so not gonna worry about a guy taking a weak hbp.
Home plate ump same guy at home plate calling the famous AJ Pierzynski 2005 ALCS Game 2 event vs LAA!!
That inside slider to Yu Chang in the ninth was a few inches inside and still got called a strike so I agree. But when you have a no hitter/perfect game going, you’re going to get a few generous calls.
The home plate ump graded a “98” last
night on Scorecard.
“95” is great.
The announcers talked about this today.
You don’t always get the generous calls when you have a PG going into the ninth. Ask Milt Pappas. (RIP Milt)
Whatever scorecard is they aren’t very accurate then. Chang alone was rung up on pitches off the plate twice.
Rodon is throwing the ball very well this year. What’s going to be interesting, is Reinsdorf going to ante up about $42/3 to keep him on their payroll. Especially since Giolito hasn’t signed yet, on the dotted line. And they have Keuchel pitching like a bum, with 3 years to go, on his overinflated contract.
Two starts after many bad seasons isn’t the time to start guessing at a contract imo
@Dogbone, too early to be offering Rodon a deal. Let him pitch at least 20 games first to see if he can stay healthy-ish for a change. As for Keuchel, he’s had a couple bad starts a year after a top 10 CYA finish. Not gonna worry about him just yet.
@disco Right because a perfect game in the 9th is the right time to start taking pitches right? Have you never seen a perfect game or no hitter? Every umpire is gonna start giving extremely generous calls towards the tail end, the opposition had 8 innings to look at close pitches.
Hats off to him, he’s played 7 seasons, had 2 major surgeries, was non-tendered, and after 7 years with the White Sox, throws a no-hitter.
Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving vet. Well respected in the clubhouse and gamer. So happy to see this after the inglorious task of being asked to put out an Indian rally last year during the stretch drive. Two runners on, nobody out, his first outing after coming off the DL and first relief appearance since his rookie year. Redemption
I take it jim joyce wasnt first base umpire.
Why didn’t [RANDOM MLB TEAM] sign Rodon this offseason?!?!?!?
The lowly Cubbies could have and should have signed Rodon!!!
Haha!!
The Cubs and several others were interested but Rodon preferred to return to the Sox on a minor league deal. He wanted to pay back the team for their loyalty during his TJS, and also wanted to reap the rewards of the rebuild. Great to see his hard work payoff, especially as he was the face of the rebuild after the Sox traded off Sale, Q, and Eaton for spare parts. Wonder what ever happened to those guys they got back in those deals.
Those were basically the same words that came out of Rodon’s mouth during an interview he did on the White Sox podcast before the season started.
Rodon did not sing a minor league deal. It was a one-year deal worth 3 million.
Rodon missed his start a few days ago with a stomach flu. I guess he is feeling better!
Great timing. If he had gone Monday he would have caught the Indians when they were hitting. Instead caught them after a post Bieber-Giolito pitching duel. Gotta feel sorry for the Tribe hitters. First Giolito, then Rodon. Lance Lynn tomorrow off his opening day shutout.
Why was Rondon chirping at Pérez? Throw a better pitch.
it was more like joking chirping, he knew he made the mistake
It was a joke. Lighten up Francis.
That was your takeaway? You missed the point tonight. Go back to booing conforto.
I’ll go back to being in first place lol.
Way to LOL at your own comment. Cool comment bro. the only thing LOL about it is mets fans thinking it’s an accomplishment to be in first on April 14.
First off not sure who Rondon is. Are you referring to the Angel 3b or the former Cub and Astro reliever? If you’re referring to Carlos Rodon, he was laughing in disbelief, an “are you kidding me” reaction which both he and Perez copped to in post game interviews. So yes, lighten up, France S.
After what he endured through the years with injuries, and being cut in the offseason and left to the scrap heap, no one deserved the no-hitter more than Rodon.
Only a foot away from a perfect game.
More like a toe.
“You want a toe? I can get you a toe by three o’clock, with nail polish. You don’t want to know, trust me.”
Laces out! Oops wrong sport.
So did I. Still worried about his long-term health but I am hoping he continues to prove me wrong.
Tough couple injuries for Rondon, glad to see him have success.
I was pretty optimistic on Rodon, but I did not remotely see this coming. No-hitters are weird.
Yeah, they tend to be pitched by random guys, unless you’re Nolan Ryan.
Has Kershaw had a no hitter? With all the hard liners right at people and grounders that don’t find holes they are all luck especially the two this year.
Kershaw no hit the Rockies in one of the best pitched games ever. 15Ks and highest game score for a dodger EVER in a no hitter. Average is 50, his that day was 102
…a game I had tickets to but my future father in law had his birthday dinner the same night. Fun fun
Maddux, Pedro, Clemens, and Steve Carlton never had a no-hitter. There are other HOF pitchers without one. You don’t have to be a great pitcher to have one, just have a great day. Playing against a cold, unimposing lineup helps, too.
Ross Stripling for Kendall Williams and Ryan Noda. Great trade. Stripling couldn’t pitch in the Dodgers rotation so why should he pitch in the Jays?
When is the Rogers board going to wake up and see Atkins and Shapiro for the snake oil salesman that they are? They are not elite baseball executives.
Hot take, bro. I’m going to go tweet this @BlueJays. You want to like my tweet when I post it??? They will be pretty upset to see so many likes.
LAD has arguably 4 top 30 starters. how does not being able to make that rotation count as a mark against him.
Striplings failures are not a surprise to those who have watched his early career
He quite simply doesn’t have the stuff to get past a lineup twice . He probably needs to be reverted back to a swing man for Tor
Because the Jays, like everybody else, aren’t as deep as the Dodgers. He’s filling exactly the same swingman role for the Jays as he did for the Dodgers though.
Hopefully Stripling’s poor start was due to his arm and he’ll be effective whenever he’s back.
Imagine thinking anyone who can’t crack the dodgers rotation isn’t good enough for other teams???? Scout eyes are a little blurry.
Jimmer they make mistakes like about 20 others current GMs and several former GMs who’ve lost their job. Yes, it was a bad trade and not a necessary one when seeing the timeline of trades made prior to Stripling at the deadline.
Jays are stuck with it. But, this has nothing to do with the Dodgers and their depth. It’s more about what the Jays are willing to settle for. Again, nothing to do with this article.
You are correct Guests. This was a “settling” move that had some cherries and whip cream (cheap+arb yrs left) on top. The Jays settled all offseason in the pitching dept. and these are the consequences
Cap, and that is why the snake oil salesman Shapiro and Atkins need to be replaced. This bad mgmt is just going to continue. Why do people think it will get better with these guys at the helm?
Jimmer
Snake oil salesman you say, even with all the injuries they are .500 with a team Era that is 10th in MLB in runs scored and 8th in ERA that speaks to building the best depth this team has had in years.
Only Armchair Gms with 20-20 hindsight have a perfect trade, draft , development , FA record.
Congats to Rodon, dude is a fighter and got rewarded.
And to think that I wanted them to convert Rodon to a reliever.
Same here. I was really upset the Sox didn’t sign another starter and make Rodón a swingman/long reliever. I’m happy to be the most wrong guy in Chicago tonight!
You’ll be right in may when he’s on the IL again.
He’s gone through quite the transformation. Why its critical to wait at least the 2nd yr post TJS to assess. He’s now hitting 97-98, and thanks to Ethan Katz, the Giolito whisperer, picked up a 4th pitch. Up until this season, he had never thrown a curve ball in a game situation over 6 years. Talk about crazy stats.
He was non-tendered, not DFA’d. And I was in total agreement with the move at the time. Happy to admit I was wrong about him.
Congratulations Rodon! You sit down to watch a baseball game countless times in your life. Such an entertaining, and awesome thing to witness. Been fortunate enough to have seen some amazing performances already in this life. It never gets old! Especially when it’s the team you root for! I just love baseball! Thank you for a memorable evening!
Well said!
Know it was kind of a cheesy movie, but the evening had elements of that Kevin Costner perfect game flick, belated hurrah for a vet.
Poor guy – even when he throws a no hitter, he winds up in the injury notes section of MLBTR! 😉
Hilarious catch!
Our offense is pitiful. When Jordan Luplow is constantly put at the top of the lineup, you know Francona’s lost his mind.
As bad as things are, I’m all for playing the kids in the minors early.
Maybe they can call up the Orioles and trade for Santander back……
lol luplow isn’t the cause of our offensive woes. in fact, he’s hitting at the top vs lhp because he’s the exact opposite. the real issue is people like Bauers and hedges who are a combined 1 for 28 or something like that. there’s a reason Bauers was out of options and he shouldn’t have made this club
They just faced two strong back to back pitching performances from the Sox. Not sure I’d say pitiful on account of that. What got me was how quick Pleasac exited.
Nice to see the Sox offense strike early. Also, that play by Abreu will be on Sox highlight reels for years to come.
I think Luplow is solid. Gamel, Bauers and Naylor look worthless so far though. Naylor is no right fielder either. Great arm strength but inaccurate as anyone in the league and he’s been botching routine plays lately. I just pray that people are right about Daniel Johnson. His minor league numbers are similar to Bauers so I’m a little skeptical.
Rondon’s something else when he’s on. hope he can stay healthy, he could have a huge year.
*Rodon always misspell it
Always had that upside. Recall a nasty outing he had at Fenway.
Rodon’s outing in Fenway was unbelievable. I think he ended up going 8 innings with 12 strikeout, and that was against a stacked Red Sox line up.
I watched his start before- his game vs the Mariners. He was incredible that night too, dotting the upper inside corner of the K-zone vs RHB’s with 97 mph FB’s. Doesn’t surprise me
Rodon has two starts, two hits and no earned runs.
And 19 K’s. Another Ethan Katz (the Harvard Westlake pitching coach when Giolito, Flaherty and Fried were all on the staff) transformation? Usually when a pitcher is in the midst of a no-no they’re on an island. Kind of strange to see him conversing with Katz throughout the last few innings. Katz adjusted his mechanics, discovered a 4th pitch (curve), and unlocked velocity – now hitting 97-98. Hoping Katz work with Dylan and Reyno also pay off.
Mlbtr mentioned Baddoo!!!!
Shhhhhh, quiet. I think they did it by accident. If we stay calm, maybe they won’t notice their mistake. Maybe we can distract them with a spinny object.
Anybody else thought Naylor sprinting to first was a little unnecessary
Fat boy is playing to keep his job right now.let him run
At that point, you do anything you can to break up a perfect game.
I thought the Tribe challenging it was more egregious but you can’t complain. You got to earn a no hitter.
So this is what a healthy Rodon is capable of.