BTP The Offseason, Day 134: Welcome back, Major League Baseball

It’s been nice to have something concrete to look forward to again, sports-wise, but the wait these last couple weeks has felt interminable. It’s officially baseball-that-counts season again, huzzah!

The first game of the truncated 2020 season is between the Yankees and Trea Turner’s Nationals, which will air tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Maybe Trea will get the chance to celebrate with that NC State gear again this postseason.

Carlos Rodon and the White Sox get underway on Friday against Minnesota; Rodon pitched in the team’s final exhibition game on Wednesday and should make his regular-season debut some time early next week in Cleveland.

In the postgame yesterday, Rodon got emotional while talking about the injury problems that have plagued his time in the pros and how he’s adjusted to the first real adversity in his sports career:

“I think about this every day. I’ve gone through a few things, granted [it’s] in the sports world. People have gone through a lot more in the real world,” Rodón said.

“To be honest, I never had to deal with much adversity growing up. I was fortunate. My parents provided everything for me. I had a great childhood. Played baseball through all of high school, got drafted out of high school, didn’t sign, became a great pitcher at NC State and waltzed into the big leagues. Through my time with the White Sox, we’ve had a few ups and downs, and that’s kind of where I’ve had to learn how to mature, and I think I’ve grown a lot through them.

“It hasn’t been easy, especially [Tommy John surgery] coming off a shoulder [surgery]. Honestly, having my baby girl, Willow, kind of got me through the TJ. And it’s been a ride, man.”

He struck out seven and walked one in five innings. Here’s hoping he gets to forget about injury troubles from here on.