Rodón emulates ‘robot’ Cole, steers Yanks’ G1 win

Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff WriterOct 14, 2024, 10:53 PM ETCloseESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.NEW YORK — On Thursday, while Gerrit Cole mowed down the Kansas City Royals in the New York Yankees’ series-clinching Game 4 win in the American League Division Series, Carlos Rodón took mental notes from the dugout.Not on anything Cole did to Royals hitters. Not on his approach or his pitch selection or his mechanics. But on Cole’s demeanor around the mound. His tranquility as he navigated the only jam he encountered. The lack of screams and fist pumps. So cool, so calm.”It’s just like a robot walking to the dugout,” Rodón noted.Rodón’s emotions sabotaged his first start of this postseason, in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Royals. He saw in Cole the model to emulate. On Monday, in…