MINNEAPOLIS -- Carlos Rodon was talking to catcher Geovany Soto on the mound, getting ready to throw some warm-up pitches prior to his scoreless inning of work Wednesday at Camden Yards, when suddenly the magnitude of the situation hit the rookie.
There were no fans in the stands.
"I looked around and was like 'What the heck?'" said Rodon, speaking before Thursday's series opener at Target Field. "It was a little different. I forgot there was nobody there. I was just in the moment. When you arrive on the mound from the bullpen, then you notice it.