Early exit leaves White Sox’ Rodon in foul mood

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Carlos Rodon throws against the Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

In a start he couldn’t wait to make against the Cubs, one afforded him when manager Rick Renteria altered his rotation last week, White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon couldn’t finish the third inning.

Rodon got peppered for nine hits and was charged with six runs in the Sox’ 6-1 loss Sunday. When Renteria had seen enough, Rodon somewhat harshly handed the ball to him without making eye contact, which prompted Renteria to follow him into the clubhouse for a “father-son”-type talk.

Tweets during the game from Rodon’s wife suggested he’d rather have had someone other than Welington Castillo, who was catching him for the first time, behind the plate.

“As a pitcher in this game, it shouldn’t matter who is out there behind the plate catching,’’ Rodon said. “I don’t think that’s really a big effect, and I should be able to throw to anyone who’s back there.”

As Rodon said, “I got my butt whupped today.’’

Seven of the first 11 Cubs to face him reached base. Daniel Murphy and Ben Zobrist led off the first with singles, Anthony Rizzo doubled in a run and Albert Almora Jr. and David Bote knocked in two more runs with a groundout and an infield single. Kyle Schwarber, a left-handed hitter, led off the second with a 444-foot homer, and he dealt Rodon the knockout blow with an RBI double in the third.

Enter Renteria, and exit a steamed Rodon (6-7, 3.61 ERA), who’s 0-4 with a 6.90 ERA in his last five starts.

“It’s something I probably should work on, harnessing the frustration and the emotion,’’ Rodon said.

“As a competitor, you want to stay out there. But I’m not going to lie to you: The right move was made to bring in another arm. I just wasn’t getting it done. Me being the competitor, I wanted to stay out there. He’s not wrong. He’s right. It’s his decision.”

<em>Rick Renteria takes the ball from Carlos Rodon in the third inning. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)</em>

Rick Renteria takes the ball from Carlos Rodon in the third inning. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

As Renteria pointed out, Castillo guided four relievers to “six zeros,” so he wasn’t the issue. He talked to Rodon right away.

“Yeah, he’s upset because he’s trying to do well, especially against the Cubbies,’’ Renteria said.

“When those guys are out there and they have a particular action or you see body language, they’re the ones competing. I understand it. One has to be the parent; one is the child. You have to understand it; you take into account everything that’s going on. You talk to them about it, you explain to them who the enemy is and who the enemy isn’t and bring it back into perspective, very calmly and very succinctly. We had a really good conversation, and he’s fine. He’ll be ready for his next outing.”

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It will be his last one, Saturday against the Twins.

“I just haven’t been throwing it well, and the results aren’t there,’’ Rodon said. “Hopefully in this last start, it all comes together, and I can build off that going into next season.”

This and that

The Sox’ second sellout crowd of the season (39,449) came the day after the first one. The Cubs won both games after the Sox took the series opener before 34,027 Friday.

† First-round pick Nick Madrigal will visit Monday and meet the media.

† Kanye West and son Saint were surprise guests to throw out the first pitch.

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