Carlos Rodon searching for robot mentality after playoff implosion for Yankees

Carlos Rodon wants to be a better poker player.Because in his first playoff start at Yankee Stadium last week, in Game 2 of the ALDS, everyone knew Rodon was holding pocket aces early before folding in the fourth inning.The left-hander came out firing in an electric first inning by striking out the side, flush with an emphatic reaction after each out as he leaned into the raucous crowd.

But by the fourth, it quickly unraveled for him and knocked him out of the game.So in his preparation for starting Game 1 of the ALCS against the Guardians on Monday night in The Bronx, Rodon watched Gerrit Cole intently on Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.He wanted to see how the Yankees ace handled all of the emotions that come with starting a playoff game, and this one even included the benches clearing in the same inning that Cole gave up a run.

But it proved to be the only run Cole gave up across seven innings thanks in part to how he maintained his composure.Rodon watched as Cole did not outwardly react to much and walked back to the dugout “like a robot” for most of the night, until letting out a roar when he recorded the final out of the seventh inning, knowing his job was done.“Gerrit is a good poker player,” Rodon said with a grin Sunday afternoon.“Me, not so much.

I need to be better at poker.”Doing so could be key in helping the Yankees get off to a strong start in the ALCS as they try to reach their first World Series since 2009.After some internal debate, the club on Sunday tabbed Rodon as their Game 1 starter over Clarke Schmidt, deciding to keep their rotation in order instead of having Schmidt leapfrog Rodon, which would have had Rodon pitching on nine days of rest for Game 3 instead of six for Game 1 (Cole is set to come back to start Game 2 on normal rest).“[Rodon] is a really good pitcher,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees worked out Sunday at the Stadium.“For him struggling there and getting knocked out in his last outing in the...