Rodríguez back with Blue Jays and he'll be starting tonight
The Toronto Blue Jays are hoping that Yariel Rodríguez will finally be able to show off the talents that made him one of the season’s most coveted free agent arms.
Today, the Jays announced that they’ve reinstated the right-hander from the 15-day injured list, and will be starting him tonight when they take on the Cleveland Guardians to kick off a six-game road trip.
ROSTER MOVES:
🔹 RHP Yariel Rodríguez reinstated from the 15-day IL and will start tonight’s game
🔹 RHP Ryan Burr optioned to Triple-A pic.twitter.com/2bxYqpj7Gr
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 21, 2024
In a corresponding move, right-hander Ryan Burr has been optioned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.
Rodríguez has a 0-1 record with an ERA of 4.11 and 16 strikeouts in four appearances this season.
It’s been a long return to regular competitive baseball for the Cuban star pitcher, who signed with Toronto this offseason on a five-year, $32 million contract that could be up to $47.5 million based on bonuses.
Rodríguez made his name known more broadly across the baseball world at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he starred for his home country of Cuba and posted a 2.45 ERA in 7.2 innings.
He actually sat out the entirety of the 2023 season after the tournament while showcasing his talent in workouts to MLB clubs. He last played club baseball in 2022 for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan.
The Blue Jays, on the whole, could definitely be doing better, sitting in fourth place in the American League East with a record of 35-39 a little less than two weeks before the calendar turns to July. For a team with World Series aspirations to begin the year, they’ll need a big second-half push to come anywhere close to that goal.
- You might also like:
- Daughter of Blue Jays' Guerrero Jr. throws him adorable first pitch