Hats off to Sox's Rodon on his stunning no-hitter
Before Thursday afternoon's game against the Indians, Carlos Rodon posed with the cap he wore and a baseball he threw in Wednesday night's no-hitter.
Both items are heading to the Hall of Fame.
After just missing a perfect game - Rodon hit Cleveland's Roberto Perez on the foot with one out on the ninth inning - the White Sox's left-handed starter was asked if he got the ball from the final out, Jordan Luplow's grounder to third baseman Yoan Moncada.
"I don't even know yet," Rodon said. "I got some ball. It probably is the ball. I don't even know."
Rodon was then asked if he was donating it to Cooperstown.
"Is that what people do?" he said. "I've never thrown a no-hitter before. That's a question I should have asked Lucas (Giolito), because he's done it before."
Giolito threw a no-hitter against the Pirates last season, which wasn't a major shock.
Having emerged as one of the better starters in the majors, Giolito was building toward holding an opposing lineup hitless.
Rodon, on the other hand, had major shoulder and elbow surgeries over the last four years. He had to win the Sox's No. 5 starter's job in spring training after being non-tendered after last season and coming back on a lesser (one year, $3 million) contract.
Rodon's had a lot to prove.
"It's a testament to him and the work he's put in," White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz said. "He's had a lot of adversity and here he is now, had a great spring training, great two starts to the season. I'm really excited to see, as this year goes on, what he's able to do because obviously last night was unbelievable but he's been throwing the ball really well since Day 1 of spring training."
Rodon earned the biggest bow after pitching the 20th no-hitter in Sox history, but catcher Zack Collins called a great game and first baseman Jose Abreu saved Rodon's effort with a gutsy defensive play in the ninth inning.
Josh Naylor led off with a slow chopper that Abreu fielded, and the race was on.
Abreu dove at first base and touched the bag with his right foot right before Naylor slid in head first.
"When the ninth inning started, I knew a baseball would be hit to me," Abreu said through White Sox translator Billy Russo. "I told myself to be ready because I couldn't ruin Carlos' gem. Then when Naylor hit the ball toward me, I was prepared and I knew I had to do whatever was necessary to make the play."
Rodon appreciated Abreu's fearless play, and he also gave his own performance a deserved thumb's up.
"It just feels good to finally sit here and tell you, 'I dominated today,'" said Rodon, who is 2-0 on the young season with 14 scoreless innings and 16 strikeouts. "It felt good. I've never really done that. I've never done it on this level at least. It feels good to say, 'I did it.'"