Something is different about Carlos Rodon this season. And no, it’s not just the beard. Had the Yankees believed that transforming Rodon into a dominant starter again was as easy as lifting the club’s half-century ban on facial hair, it would have been worth the $162 million investment to flip that policy a few years earlier.

But however Rodon got back here isn’t nearly as important as the fact that he’s arrived at the place the Yankees always envisioned for him: a sturdy No. 2 starter, if not a co-ace, a spot originally mapped out when Gerrit Cole still was a functioning member of the pitching staff.

When Rodon took the Bronx mound Thursday, sans undershirt on a drizzly 50-degree afternoon with a real-feel temp closer to mid-40s, he had more than swagger in his arsenal. There is a conviction to Rodon now, and he mowed through the Rangers in short order, striking out eight over six scoreless innings to make Jorbit Vivas’ first-career homer stand up in the Yankees’ 1-0 victory.

It’s true that Texas is a pitiful offensive team lately, and last week’s hiring of Bret Boone -- Aaron’s brother -- has yet to reverse this early trend. But Rodon’s stifling performance has become almost routine as he improved to 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA over his last seven starts since April 18. In six of those, Rodon went at least six innings, and he’s collected seven or more Ks in eight of his 11 starts this season.

During this stretch, Rodon has whittled his ERA from 5.48 to the current 2.88 and overall he’s limited hitters to a .161 average, the lowest in the majors. When I asked Aaron Boone if he noticed some point of demarcation between this version of Rodon and the mid-April lefty who was getting dinged on the regular, the manager defended his much-maligned scouting reports from back then.

“I tried to tell you this when he gave up those three-run homers and everyone was losing their minds,” Boone said after Thursday’s game. “He’s about to roll off a bunch in a row. I think (all his starts) have been really strong. A pitch here and there in a couple of them, and he’d be at even another level.”

Is that how Rodon sees this turnaround, too?

“On paper, sometimes it is one pitch,” said Rodon, who allowed two hits and two walks. “And there’s a few games that I can go back to this year that the home runs hurt me, the walks hurt me. So I think a lot of it is I’m grateful for everyone in this room that has stuck with me and put the time into helping me get to where I am now. A lot of it is a mindset kind of deal, just settling in, going to work and going to compete.”

Rodon’s day wasn’t quite the stroll the box score might suggest, especially when Vivas didn’t provide the game-winning swing until the fifth inning. In the third, Rodon gave up a two-out double to Sam Haggerty then followed with a walk to Wyatt Langford, but got Josh Jung to slap at a two-strike slider for the inning-ending groundout.

In the sixth, with his pitch count climbing, Rodon issued a one-out walk to Langford, who stole second and took third on a wild pitch. He recovered by whiffing the next two Rangers, including Jake Burger -- who hit two homers Wednesday -- on pitch No. 105, a nasty changeup that dived below the strike zone.

“I love when he pitches, I really do,” said Luke Weaver, who finished up for his seventh save. “Because starters have to find a way to navigate, and he just has a grit and tenacity about himself. Like every time he goes, he just grinds and he finds a way. There’s just a peace of knowing that when he goes out there, it’s 110% full effort. Sometimes it’s not going to be the best, but you have everybody’s respect because we know what we’re going to get out of you -- and we’ll pick you up if we can.”

In Cole’s absence, and the ongoing wait for Luis Gil, the Yankees’ rotation needs that from Rodon, even with Max Fried (6-0, 1.29 ERA) showing that he’s been worth every penny of his eight-year, $218 million deal. Pose that leadership question to Rodon and he’ll quickly deflect the credit to every locker that surrounds him. But the Yankees’ staff -- despite those key spring-training losses -- has ascended to its rightful place as one of the MLB’s best partly by riding on Rodon’s left shoulder.

After Rodon’s Thursday gem, the rotation has a 2.68 ERA over their last 34 starts, second only to the Rangers since April 14. He followed Wednesday’s solid performance by the consistent five-and-fly Ryan Yarbrough, the baffling lefty with the wiffle-ball sweeper, and a 10-strikeout show by rookie Will Warren, who has a 1.50 ERA over his last three starts. Even with Fried’s brilliance, Rodon doesn’t come off as a sidekick anymore, and that’s when the Yankees start feeling like a serious threat to not only get to a World Series, but win it next time.

“We feel good about what those guys are bringing to the table for us every day,” Boone said. “And they’re on a pretty good run right now.”

With Rodon confidently leading the way.