Dodgers Free Agency: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez Suddenly Open to Pitching on West Coast
Most Dodgers fans will remember the debacle from the trade deadline that saw Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez veto a trade to LA. Well, as he enters free agency, he is now saying that geography means nothing to him while he searches for a new team.
The best guess is that he didn’t want to uproot his family in the middle of the season for potentially just a few months, and he had every right to use his veto. He says it was due to wanting “contractual enhancements” but this is still an ironic moment on many levels.
Yet, as the Dodgers enter into the offseason, they do need an upgrade within their starting rotation. Maybe they take another look at Rodriguez this winter since they liked him enough to trade for him.
He wouldn’t be the worst option for LA, as long as he wasn’t the best pitcher that they signed. If they could get another front-line guy plus Rodriguez, then the Dodgers would be cooking with grease.
Rodriguez could slot in as the team’s third or fourth starter if signed, and it could help LA build one of the best rotations in the game. The issue is how much it would cost to land Rodriguez, especially after the strong season he just put together.
He opted out of the three years remaining on his deal with the Tigers which had $49 million left on the original five-year $77 million contract he signed in 2021. Rodriguez and his team likely believe he can get a much more lucrative contract on the open market.
Rodriguez posted an ERA of 3.30 in 26 starts for the Tigers last season. He also posted a WHIP of 1.15 and added in 143 strikeouts over 153.2 innings of work.
It’s likely a pipedream for Rodriguez to join the Dodgers this offseason, but you can’t count it out. Weirder things have happened in baseball history, so for now, it remains one of many options for the Dodgers.
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Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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After his snub at the deadline, why should LA entertain signing him or for that matter even thinking about it! Find someone else!
I had the same reaction…..no, thanks…..look elsewhere.
And I think the actual phrase is “cooking with gas,” not grease. Lol
Same reaction here…..no, thanks…..look elsewhere.
And I think the phrase is “cooking with gas,” not grease.?
I agree, dodgers should snub Rodriguez just the same, I don’t think the saying it’s cooking with gas either it’s now your cooking with oil, lol js