Former Red Sox pitcher opts out of his deal, will test free agency
Eduardo Rodriguez has decided to decline his player option with the Tigers, per John Heyman. Rodriguez had three years and $49 million remaining on his deal, but instead will test the market for a bigger payday.
On November 15th 2021, Rodriguez left the Red Sox and signed with Detroit for five-years, $77 million.
Rodriguez tenure with the Tigers had its ups and downs. In his first season he missed time with a rib injury, but also a family matter. He was placed on the restricted list in 2022 and only made 17 starts.
For this past season Rodriguez pitched 152.2 innings in 26 starts with 3.30 ERA/3.66 FIP and a 1.15 WHIP. His Ks/9 went up to 8.4 after dropping to 7.1 in 2021.
The Red Sox will be one of many teams that will be looking for starting pitching. While Rodriguez should not be considered a frontline arm, he would provide Boston with a known commodity in the middle of their rotation. The southpaw returned to Fenway this past season while starting for the Tigers.
“It feels amazing to be back. I had a lot of good memories here.” Rodriguez said in August during his return. The 30-year-old made headlines at the trade deadline when he used his limited no trade clause to veto a trade to the Dodgers, due to family considerations
Red Sox manager Alex Cora admired Rodriguez for standing up and using his right as a player to keep himself in a comfortable situation, “He’s back home and things are well with the family and I’m very proud of him making that decision, regardless of what people think.”
Between the need for starters and the fond memories Rodriguez have, it would not be surprised to see Boston interested in a reunion. For two seasons, new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Rodriguez were teammates in 2014 and 2015.
Follow Matt on Twitter @Bstrong415
For additional Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, MLB and NFL content follow Beyond the Monster on Twitter @BeyondtheMnstr.
