Imagine a baseball star so determined to win that he pitched through excruciating pain, unable to even button his own shirt. That’s the story of Carlos Rodon’s 2025 season, a year that showcased both his remarkable talent and his unwavering commitment to the New York Yankees. But here’s where it gets controversial: was it bravery or recklessness to keep pitching with a worsening elbow injury? Let’s dive into the details and let you decide.
In Tampa, Florida, Rodon’s standout 2025 season had only one noticeable low point—Game 3 of the Division Series against the Blue Jays. Little did anyone know, within a week of that game, he’d be undergoing surgery for an elbow cleanup. Despite his velocity dropping, especially toward the end of the season, Rodon delivered a career-high 33 starts and 195.1 innings. This was a stark contrast to his injury-plagued years from 2017 to 2023, where health issues—ranging from back and shoulder problems to elbow, forearm, biceps, and hamstring injuries—limited him to an average of just 16 starts and 87 innings per season.
And this is the part most people miss: Rodon pitched the entire 2025 season with chronic elbow discomfort caused by a bone spur and loose bodies, a condition that steadily worsened. ‘It was definitely a chronic thing,’ Rodon admitted during a spring training workout. ‘It was over time, over a few years… probably three, four years.’ By the end of the season, the pain had escalated from manageable to debilitating. ‘I couldn’t really bend my arm,’ he recalled. ‘I couldn’t button a shirt.’
Yankees doctors and trainers assured Rodon that continuing to pitch wouldn’t cause serious harm and that a routine cleanup surgery could fix his elbow. Driven by a sense of duty to the organization—which pays him $27 million annually—and his teammates, who were already without injured ace Gerrit Cole, Rodon pressed on. His performance spoke for itself: he allowed one or no runs in 14 of his 33 starts and two or fewer in 22. He pitched at least six innings 21 times, with only one exception—a 4 2/3-inning no-decision in Miami on August 1.
‘We knew he was really struggling with range of motion, which obviously wasn’t affecting his performance a lot,’ said manager Aaron Boone. ‘He didn’t have a ton of velocity by Carlos’ standards, but that’s something that can happen to pitchers over time and they can still be really effective.’ Rodon’s 18 wins were the third most in the majors, just one behind teammates Max Fried and the Red Sox’s Garret Crochet. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed about falling short of becoming the Yankees’ first 20-game winner since CC Sabathia in 2010.
‘The frustrating part is I knew I had more, but when your body’s betraying you, it’s an interesting battle,’ Rodon reflected. ‘It’s pretty dynamic in your head when you’re going through that.’ For Rodon, missing starts was never an option. ‘Being a guy that’s been on the IR a lot, just missing that time sucks,’ he said. ‘Not being able to compete, it’s hard. I’d rather be pitching. If I think I can pitch at 80 percent or whatever and help the team win, I’m gonna do that.’
Here’s the controversial question: Was Rodon’s decision to keep pitching a testament to his grit, or did it risk long-term damage? Many pitchers in his situation might have opted to sit out, but Rodon chose to adapt. ‘Probably every day (I was managing the elbow pain),’ he said. ‘It was just part of my routine. It’s who I was. I adapted to what the arm gave me. I just went out there and competed.’
Once the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs, Rodon underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove the bone spur and loose bodies. ‘It was just one of those things that eventually was going to come to a head and we were going to have to fix it, and now was the time,’ he explained. Nearly four months later, his rehab is progressing well. He’s already throwing bullpens, with manager Aaron Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake overseeing his sessions. His velocity in a recent 20-pitch outing, featuring fastballs, changeups, and sliders, left everyone optimistic.
While Rodon won’t be ready for the Yankees’ late-March season opener in San Francisco, a return in April is possible. ‘That would be awesome,’ he said. ‘I hope I can make that, but honestly, I can’t be definitive. There’s a lot of ups and downs in any rehab process.’ Rodon is determined not to rush his return, ensuring he’s in peak condition for the playoffs. He’s also relieved to have a healthy elbow again after the mental and physical toll of last season. ‘Ah, it was fun,’ he joked sarcastically. ‘Let’s just put it that way. It was fun every day to challenge myself to go pitch.’
As Rodon continues his rehab, he’s focused on building volume and dropping a few pounds—he’s currently around 265, up from 257-258 last season. ‘I guess (I had) a happy offseason,’ he quipped. ‘I enjoy food, but it’s coming off, which is good.’
So, what do you think? Was Rodon’s decision to pitch through pain heroic or risky? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear your take!
