Skip to content 
With Eduardo Rodriguez already signing with the Tigers, there are a lot of eyes on Carlos Rodon’s free agency.
Outside of AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, Rodon is easily the best left-handed starter on the market right now. That means a lot of interested teams, making a Rodon contract projection difficult.
Carlos Rodon free agency 2021-22
Coming off a season in which he won 13 games and posted a 2.37 ERA, there will be tons of teams interested in him. Plus, since no team is going to turn down a frontline left-handed starter, there are plenty of Rodon free agent fits as well. After all, just about any team will make room for him in their rotation after the way he pitched in 2021.
Of course, Rodon’s free agency could end up being one of the most difficult to predict. His track record before 2021 was uneven at best, so some teams might be skeptical while others may take a more aggressive approach. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the best potential landing spots for Rodon.
Red Sox
After losing Eduardo Rodriguez in free agency, the Red Sox have a huge need for another left-handed starter.
That makes Rodon an ideal target for them.
Even with Chris Sale healthy and Nick Pivetta and Tanner Houck having breakout seasons in 2021, Boston’s rotation is still a little light. If the Red Sox are going to stay competitive in the loaded AL East, they need to be aggressive and go after another frontline starter, which is why Rodon is an ideal target for them.
Angels
The Halos have had a world of trouble finding pitchers who can be effective and stay healthy. They have the bats to win but have been held back by rotation troubles for several years.
They’ve already added Noah Syndergaard this winter and have Shohei Ohtani leading the way. Even with Patrick Sandoval and Jose Suarez pitching well in 2021, the Angels need a proven and stabilizing force in their rotation. Coming off his brilliant 2021 campaign, Rodon would appear to fit their needs.
Tigers
The Tigers have a promising rotation, but it’s also a young rotation. Detroit is lacking a veteran to lead the rotation and take some of the pressure off young starters like Casey Mize.
If Rodon can maintain the level he pitched at last season, he can be the veteran ace that the Tigers need to become a competitive force in the AL Central. Taking him away from a division rival would just be icing on the cake.
Yankees
Frankly, the Yankees are going to be a candidate for any prominent free agent this winter.
While there are reasons to feel hopeful about several of the pitchers already on the roster, there isn’t a ton of certainty beyond Gerrit Cole.
That creates the need for a pitcher like Rodon. The AL East is likely to turn into an arms race, and so the Yankees know they need to be aggressive when it comes to free agents like Rodon.
Astros
By re-signing Justin Verlander, the Astros have one less hole to fill in their starting rotation. But adding a second lefty to pair with Framber Valdez isn’t a bad idea.
Keep in mind that Houston is still in win-now mode after losing the World Series. If the Astros think that Rodon can replicate his 2021 success for another year or two, they’ll push hard to sign him because he’s the type of pitcher who could put them over the top.
[spreaker type=player resource=”show_id=3300147″ width=”100%” height=”200px” theme=”light” playlist=”false” playlist-continuous=”false” chapters-image=”true” episode-image-position=”right” hide-logo=”false” hide-likes=”false” hide-comments=”false” hide-sharing=”false” hide-download=”true”]
