The Toronto Blue Jays have signed a deal with Cuban right-handed pitcher Yariel Rodríguez. The contract is reportedly for four years and $32 million, pending a physical in Toronto in the coming days.
Other teams like the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and San Diego Padres were also interested in Rodríguez when he became a free agent in November. However, recent reports indicated that the Blue Jays were the frontrunners to secure his services. MLB Network"s Jon Morosi confirmed the agreement, noting that a few details still need to be finalized.
The Blue Jays and Yariel Rodríguez have agreed in principle on a contract, per @jonmorosi & @francysromeroFR pic.twitter.com/9TPFohhgmn
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 17, 2024
One of the remaining hurdles is Rodríguez"s immigration status, as mentioned by The Athletic"s Ken Rosenthal. Rodríguez played three seasons with the Chunichi Dragons in Japan"s Nippon Professional Baseball but didn"t pitch in 2023 and was released from his contract on Oct. 5.
The 26-year-old Cuban pitcher began his professional career at 18 in the Cuban National Series, achieving a 31-26 record with a 3.30 ERA over seven seasons. In his time with the Dragons from 2020, Rodríguez posted a 10-10 record with a 3.03 ERA in 79 appearances and 175.1 innings.
Rodríguez also showcased his skills as a starter for Team Cuba in the World Baseball Classic, allowing just two earned runs with 10 strikeouts in 7.1 innings. The Blue Jays have yet to specify whether Rodríguez will be used as a starter or reliever.
With pitchers like Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Chris Bassitt, Yusei Kikuchi, and Alek Manoah in the mix, the addition of Rodríguez provides depth to the Blue Jays" pitching staff. If Manoah faces challenges in his recovery from the 2023 season, Rodríguez or top prospect Ricky Tiedemann could be considered as potential replacements in the rotation.
