Carlos Rodon knows he has things to prove

After signing a six-year contract worth $162 million with the Yankees in December 2022, Carlos Rodon didn't quite live up to expectations last season.

So it was clear that something had to change after his miserable campaign in a New York uniform. And that's exactly what the left paw did.

Rodon first showed up in Tampa on January 6 or 7, which means he is already well advanced in his winter progress.

I feel like I have something to prove and I want to stay on the field a lot longer than I did last year.

While this doesn't guarantee he'll stay healthy or pitch better, it's a good place to start. Rodon also seems to be in better shape than the last time he took the mound last season.

The left-hander's final game of the 2023 campaign against the Royals in Kansas City was a disaster, as he allowed eight runs without recording an out and also turned his back on pitching coach Matt Blake during a visit to the mound.

The main person concerned, however, is looking to the future.

I know I have to be better. Listen, I'm going to be transparent with you. We are all human. We hear everything. Luckily it was the end of the year and I was able to move on, forget about baseball, come back refreshed and start again.

If Rodon can return to his former form that allowed him to post a 2.67 ERA while recording 422 strikeouts in 310 innings of work between 2021 and 2022, it will go a long way to improving the rotation of the Yankees behind Gerrit Cole, the Bombardiers' best pitcher.