D-backs basic supervisor Mike Hazen went into the Winter Conferences this week considering his membership was going to have the ability to get one thing executed, and whereas he needed to work a bit of time beyond regulation to do it, Hazen ended up getting precisely what his group wanted.
Arizona agreed agreed to a four-year contract with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, the membership introduced on Friday. The deal is price $80 million and features a vesting possibility for a fifth 12 months that might convey the general worth to $99 million, a supply advised MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Wednesday.
Information of the deal broke after many of the group executives and media had already departed the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., however the information is correct on time for the D-backs who now have a confirmed veteran starter to fit in behind Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly within the rotation.
Following damage setbacks that prevented him from fulfilling what many noticed as nice potential whereas with the Pink Sox, Rodriguez lastly put all of it collectively in 2023 with the Tigers, posting a 3.30 ERA over 26 begins (152 2/3 innings).
The addition of Rodriguez permits the D-backs to not should depend on a few of their youthful starters like Brandon Pfaadt, Tommy Henry, Ryne Nelson, Slade Cecconi (the membership’s No. 13-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline) and Bryce Jarvis (ranked twenty ninth) to fill three roster spots.
As an alternative, the younger hurlers will solely be wanted for 2 of the spots, which implies Arizona may have starting-pitching depth. That was the D-backs’ prime precedence this offseason after watching accidents and ineffectiveness result in the necessity to throw a bullpen recreation in each the NL Championship Sequence and World Sequence.
Tuesday evening, Hazen expressed optimism that the group would be capable to come away with a beginning pitcher.
“I am assured that we’re going to work very laborious to make one thing come to fruition,” Hazen stated. “Once you’re speaking each concerning the free-agent market and the commerce market, you already know, you are on the mercy of the opposite groups in a variety of instances, however yeah, there’s beginning pitching that’s going to be obtainable on the market.”
And the D-backs wound up with one of many higher ones obtainable. The 30-year-old Rodriguez determined to turn into a free agent for the second time by opting out of the ultimate three years and $49 million remaining on the five-year, $77 million deal he inked with Detroit following the 2021 season. Since he was tendered a qualifying supply by the Pink Sox previous to signing with Tigers two years in the past, he was ineligible for a QO this time round, which means Detroit received’t obtain Draft-pick compensation with Rodriguez signing elsewhere.
Rodriguez’s strikeout charge (23%) was up in 2023, and his stroll charge (7.7%) was down. Each good indicators, although his anticipated ERA primarily based on high quality of contact was 4.04, greater than half a run greater than his precise ERA and solely barely decrease than his 4.20 xERA in ’22. The barrel charge (7.5%) and the hard-hit charge (38.5%) towards him, whereas not dangerous general, have been every a bit greater than in ’22, when his ERA was 4.05 in 17 begins.
The important thing for Rodriguez goes to be staying wholesome. He’s handled varied illnesses, together with elbow, finger, knee, ankle, rib cage and again accidents. In his solely absolutely wholesome season, which got here with Boston in 2019, he posted a 3.81 ERA (128 ERA+) in 203 1/3 innings, ending sixth within the AL Cy Younger Award voting.