*Photo from Boston.com*
Seeking upgrades at starting pitching, the Detroit Tigers went to the man known in Boston as "Steady Eddie." The Tigers and LHP Eduardo Rodriguez have agreed to a 5 year, $77 million deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Tigers have confirmed the deal.
In his contract, Rodriguez will get a no trade clause and performance incentives. He also gets an opt out after the 2023 season, which would make him a free agent again. The Tigers will also give up a draft pick by signing Rodriguez, as the Boston Red Sox had offered him a qualifying offer, which he declined. The draft pick going to Boston will be in the top 70 picks of the 2022 draft.
Tigers GM Al Avila said in a press release that "Eduardo was clearly one of our top targets in this year’s free agent pitching class, and we are extremely happy to add someone of his caliber to our rotation. There are a number of strong qualities that Eduardo brings to our ballclub, including his leadership abilities, and we look forward to the positive impact he will have on our team both on and off the field."
Prior to signing with Detroit, Rodriguez had spent his entire major league career in Boston. He was traded to the Red Sox while still a prospect with the Baltimore Orioles in 2014, with Andrew Miller going the other way to Baltimore. He made his major league debut in 2015.
Last season with the Red Sox, Rodriguez had a very up and down year, pitching to a 13-8 record with a 4.74 ERA, striking out 185 hitters in 157 2/3 innings pitched, starting 31 of 32 games for the Red Sox. Rodriguez made 3 starts in the postseason, posting a 1-1 record in 12 2/3 innings in the playoffs, with the Red Sox losing to the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
In his 6 major league seasons, Rodriguez has a 64-39 record with a 4.16 ERA, striking out 892 hitters in 856 2/3 innings, appearing in 159 regular season games, 153 of which were starts. Rodriguez did not pitch in the short 2020 season after being diagnosed with Myocarditis following his bout with Covid-19, which sidelined him for the season.
By joining the Tigers, Rodriguez will provide a veteran presence in the group of pitchers, despite only being 29. The rotation in Detroit includes youngsters Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Matt Manning, with Matthew Boyd also in the rotation mix when he recovers from offseason surgery.
Rodriguez said in the same press release that "I am excited to be a Tiger and appreciate the commitment being made to building a winning team in Detroit. After some great years in Boston with amazing fans and teammates, I am blessed to be coming into a new situation where the fans in Detroit are some of the best in baseball. In speaking with Al and A.J., I knew this is a place that would be a good fit for me and my family. I can’t wait to join my new teammates and work towards a World Series title."
Despite his up and down numbers in 2021, Rodriguez did not have a shortage of teams expressing interest in signing him during free agency. The Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Los Angeles Angels were also pushing to sign Rodriguez.
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