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The promotion of Carlos Rodon is no longer a matter of when, as Ken Rosenthal broke the news after the White Sox' blowout loss to the Detroit Tigers this afternoon:
Source: Carlos Rodon joining #WhiteSox tomorrow. Will initially work out of bullpen.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 19, 2015
Down in Charlotte, Rodon had one great start and one uneven start:
| Rk | Date | Opp | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HBP | GSc | Pit | Str | StL | StS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-04-11 | Norfolk | 5.0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 64 | 87 | 56 | 15 | 15 |
| 2 | 2015-04-16 | Gwinnett | 5.0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 45 | 87 | 56 | 10 | 11 |
True to the White Sox' plans, he didn't rely on his devastating slider to get results, instead focusing on fastball command and the use of his changeup. He didn't perfect those aspects of his game with two starts, but if he's working out of the bullpen to start his career, the fastball-slider combo could very well make him the Sox' second-best reliever on his first day.
From here, the question is how long it will take for Rodon to usurp a starting pitcher for one of those spots. While the rotation is a greater area of need, a shift may not be immediate. The relief role will allow the Sox to watch the two under-progress areas of his game in person, and it will also limit his innings early on. Still, Hector Noesi and John Danks should be on high alert, assuming they weren't already.