KANSAS CITY – Carlos Rodon had been building some late momentum in a mostly lost season coming into his final start.
Then he took the mound on Friday.
Rodon made a season to forget even more miserable, failing to record an out while getting shelled for eight runs on six hits and two walks in the first inning against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Rodon had thrown 35 pitches before manager Aaron Boone finally put Rodon out of his misery and went to the bullpen, but the damage was already done.
The Royals ambushed Rodon.
The left-hander allowed a single, walk and double to the first three hitters before Edward Olivares crushed a two-run homer to make it 4-0.
Rodon then gave up three straight singles and walked No. 8 hitter Logan Porter to load the bases, at which point Boone had seen enough and called on Matt Bowman from the bullpen.
Rodon walked off the mound facing a 5-0 deficit, which ended up extending to 9-0 by the time the inning ended.
The clunker ended Rodon’s season — which started late because of forearm and back injuries — with a 6.85 ERA across 64 ⅓ innings.