A Freakish Outing

Marlins 2, Giants 1 (1-1)

Carlos Rodon is not Tim Lincecum. He is not a stringy, physics-defying specimen floating devastating changeups by ballplayers twice his size. But you’d be forgiven if Saturday afternoon’s gem against the Marlins—still a 2-1 loss—stirred memories of The Freak in your mind’s eye. The Giants’ new lefty actually did something no pitcher in team history had ever done before: strike out 12 hitters in 90 pitches or less. Watch any highlights of Rodon from early last year, and you’ll see plenty of what the Marlins saw Saturday. What else might you see? The number 55 on Rodon’s back.