Carlos Rodón remembers getting off to a poor start the last time he pitched in the postseason. The date was Oct. 12, 2021. A member of the White Sox back then, Rodón took the ball in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Astros at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field. Over 40,000 screaming people in attendance watched him surrender a first-pitch, leadoff double to Jose Altuve, who quickly advanced to third on a groundout. With trouble brewing and the ballpark buzzing, Rodón felt “pretty amped up.” “So I just stepped back behind the mound,” he recalled over Zoom on Sunday. “I think I looked at the ground and then took a breath and said, ‘All right, it’s one pitch at a time.'” Rodón went on to record two strikeouts, escaping the inning unscathed. While he ultimately allowed two earned runs over just 2.2 innings in a 10-1 loss, that opening frame taught the lefty a lesson about slowing the game down and channeling his emotions in the playoffs. He plans on putting that lesson to good use on Monday, as Rodón will make his first postseason start for the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALDS. He knows he will do so in front of a rowdy home crowd after watching Yankee Stadium erupt multiple times during the Bombers’ Game 1 win over the Royals. “The energy [Saturday] night was pretty spectacular,” Rodón said. “It was great to see the stadium full as always, and they brought a lot of energy. So I’m looking forward to that. “The energy definitely fuels me.” In the past, Rodón has often let his emotions match the moment. Sometimes, there’s nothing wrong with that, like when he gets pumped up after a big strikeout. Other times, Rodón’s feelings have gotten the best of him. Examples include Rodón blowing a kiss to jeering fans in Anaheim and turning his back on pitching coach Matt Blake in Kansas City during a tumultuous first season with the Yankees in 2023. He knows that postseason baseball in the Bronx will test just how much control he has over his fiery persona. “It’s going to be a little different,” Rodón acknowledged. “It’s going to be a lot louder. These games are pretty important. I think it’s just one of those things where I go out there, I accept that energy. I bring it in and I harness it to the plate and control what I can control. As soon as that pitch leaves my hand, it’s done with me. It’s just focusing on what I’m going to do on the mound and what pitch I’m going to throw.” Added Aaron Boone: “There’s always an intensity to Carlos in any game he’s competing in. I would expect that to be there. Part of that is also harnessing that and channeling that in all the right kind of ways. So hopefully he can do that.” While Rodón has certainly had emotional moments – good and bad – in his first two seasons with the Yankees, the 31-year-old does believe he’s gotten a better grip on himself as he’s aged. “Early on in my career, I’d get pretty flustered,” he said. “Obviously, there’s still times that I do. I think that’s just kind of who I am. It’s a fine line. It can propel me to very high highs and super low lows because it can go both ways. It’s a double-edged sword. I like to stay on the right side of the line where we’re going high and we’re going up.” The Yankees certainly hope to see Rodón stay on the right side of that line in Game 2. He did a solid job of that all season. Staying healthy and pitching well certainly helped, as Rodón posted a 3.96 ERA. He set a career-high with a team-leading 32 starts, and he also paced the Yankees with 175 innings pitched. The campaign marked a noticeable improvement over Rodón’s 2023 season, when he tallied a 6.85 ERA after three injuries limited him to 14 starts. “Last year was rough, as we know,” said Rodón, always quick to self-deprecate. “I did not perform the way I felt like I should have.” On Sunday, Rodón said numerous people inside and outside the Yankees’ organization helped him make this season a success. With the goal of making every start, Rodón began preparing for Year 2 almost as soon as the offseason began. That work ethic carried into spring training and the regular season. “I know just going through the winter, his level of commitment and accessibility and communication with strength and conditioning, training staff, the pitching group, you could tell he was locked in, really motivated,” Boone said. “We saw that unfold in spring. I felt like he had a great routine and process and workman-like way about him that you saw right away.” Rodón’s diet also played a part in keeping him healthy, as the sweets-loving southpaw ate better with the help of his wife and an in-home chef. He arrived at spring training leaner than ever and maintained his new look throughout the season. “All of us like eating ice cream,” Rodón joked. “Trust me, I do. All sorts of sweets. You gotta remember that food is fuel. And it wasn’t just food. It was getting to work and putting the effort in at home in the weight room.” Rodón added that he’s learned to like beets “if they’re made right,” among other healthier options. However, he said the biggest differences between this year and last are his improved confidence and conviction in an expanded arsenal. It took a while for the latter to become reality, but Rodon recorded a 3.00 ERA over his last 13 outings after a five-start stretch saw him post a 10.57 ERA while predictably leaning on his fastball too much. “Because he had a really good foundation laid, he was able to power through that and have the ability to come through that and finish the season really strong,” Boone said. As far as Rodón is concerned, all of that is old news now. He’s only focused on what’s ahead of him. With his emotions in check, he hopes to add another positive chapter to his bounce-back year. “The season’s over,” Rodón said. “We got a new season. It’s the postseason. That’s what matters now.”