Carlos Rodon's Yankees contract: Breaking down All-Star ace's 6-year deal

The Bronx has landed the best free agent starter. Carlos Rodon has reportedly agreed to a six-year, $162 million contract with the New York Yankees.

The client of the Boras Corporation will earn a $5 million signing bonus, a $22 million salary for the upcoming season and a series of $27 million paychecks from 2024 through 2028. The agreement continues through Rodon's age-35 season and includes a complete no-trade provision.

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"Breaking: Carlos Rodón and the Yankees are in agreement on a six-year, $162 million contract" ESPN tweeted.

The 30-year-old Carlos Rodon has made the All-Star squad in each of the last two seasons and has consistently placed in the top six in the Cy Young Award voting. He finished 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA and 237 strikeouts over 178 innings in 31 starts for the San Francisco Giants in 2022.

What does Carlos Rodon's contract mean for a pitcher?

In terms of total value, Rodon's $162 million contract ranks second among pitchers this offseason only to the five-year, $185 million deal the Rangers gave Jacob deGrom. Rodon ($27 million a season) comes in third place among pitchers in this year's free-agent class in terms of average annual value, trailing only deGrom ($37 million) and Justin Verlander ($43.3 million).

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"Carlos Rodon's Yankees contract makes him the 9th highest average paid pitcher in MLB. His $162M deal is 11th all-time among pitchers" Spotrac tweeted.

Since Stephen Strasburg and Cole extended their contracts to nine and seven years, respectively, during the 2019–20 offseason, this is their first free-agent pitching commitment in six years. The only other pitchers on the open market to reach six years since the start of the 2016 season are Yu Darvish ($120 million) and Patrick Corbin ($140 million).

Will the Yankees management face any implications of the deal?

The contract costs New York more than just the salary they'll have to pay, because it brings them even closer to the luxury tax threshold. Rodon's addition moves the Yankees, who already had to pay the competitive balance tax, into the highest rung of penalties.

As a repeat offender, New York will be subject to harsher penalties for paying the luxury tax in 2022 as well. By bringing them over to the third level with the addition of Carlos Rodon, they effectively have to pay an additional $18 million in taxes.

By crossing the third line, the Yankees' first-round pick in 2024 will drop 10 spots. The outcome of signing a player who has declined a qualifying offer will be strongly felt in their 2023 draft.

About the author

Karan has been a baseball sports betting expert, analyst and content strategist at Sportskeeda since 2022. He holds a Master's degree in Sports Management from Virginia Commonwealth University, and worked with the VCU Rams baseball team as a trackman analyst. He started following the sport at 18, watching postseason on television.

Karan is a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers owing to their successful history in the sport, and their consistent performances at the highest level. He admires Mookie Betts’ on-field defensive and offensive prowess, along with his off-field charitable exploits, while Bruce Bochy is his favorite coach.

The Mets’ miraculous rally from a two-run deficit in the 1986 World Series Game 6 in the bottom of the 10th inning despite being two outs and two strikes down is his all-time favorite baseball moment.

Karan’s strengths are player profiling and technical deep dives, for which he always refers to reliable sources such as the social media handles of the best MLB analysts.

When not strategizing, he likes to read, listen to music, go for a run, and watch sit-coms.

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Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein