Control problems plague Carlos Rodon in shaky MLB debut

The command issues that so many scouts dwelled upon were very much apparent during Carlos Rodon's shaky MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.

Promoted from Triple-A Charlotte prior to Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Indians, the 22-year-old left-hander inherited an unenviable situation in his first major-league appearance: he entered the contest with a 2-1 deficit and runners on first and second, and was unable to escape the jam unscathed.

Rodon, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, promptly walked Brandon Moss in his first plate appearance to load the bases before yielding a single to pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn that plated two runners and extended Chicago's deficit to 4-1. The young southpaw ultimately induced an inning-ending groundout from Lonnie Chisenhall to quash the rally, but Rodon didn't fare much better the following inning. 

Rodon opened the top of the seventh by issuing consecutive walks to Roberto Perez and Jose Ramirez, both of whom advanced into scoring position on the ensuing sacrifice bunt from Michael Bourn. Jason Kipnis then plated Perez with a sacrifice fly to left field before Michael Brantley drove Ramirez home with a single to center. 

His team saddled with a 6-1 deficit, Rodon finally settled down a bit in the top of the eighth. Though he surrendered a one-out double to Raburn following a leadoff groundout from Moss, Rodon proceeded to fan Chisenhall for his first career strikeout before getting Perez to ground out to end the frame.