TORONTO – The Blue Jays have agreed to a multi-year deal with Cuban right fielder Yarriel Rodriguez, according to a report from MLB Network Insider Jon Morosi on Wednesday, their biggest move in an offseason that has been slow to develop.
The agreement, which was first announced by Francis Romero, has not been confirmed by the club.
Rodriguez has been one of the biggest enigmas in this market, having made significant gains from his time in Cuba and Japan, but has not played competitively since the 2023 World Baseball Classic in March. After this event, Rodriguez did not return to his professional team in Japan, the Chunichi Dragons, and was subsequently declared a free agent to MLB, allowing him to sign at the age of 27.
Rodríguez made two starts for Cuba in the Classic, posting a 2.45 ERA with 10 strikeouts and six walks over 7 1/3 innings, and the showing later in the year generated more buzz around the right-hander. His raw talent inspires optimism, led by a 96-mph fastball and a deep repertoire, but his role in the major leagues is far from certain.
After emerging as a regular in Cuba, where he featured for Camagüey, Las Tunas and Sancti Spiritus, Rodriguez eventually moved up the pitch in Japan. As a full-time reliever in 2022, Rodriguez posted a 1.15 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 54 2/3 innings. There's a logical fit for him in Toronto as a versatile player, especially given the Blue Jays' roster construction.
Toronto's starting rotation includes Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassett, Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi, while Alec Manuah has the inside track on the No. 5 job as he works to rebound from a horrific 2023 season. However, the depth behind this group is thin, leaving room for Rodriguez to increase his workload after a year away from contention. Kikuchi enters his final year at the helm of the club, while No. 1 prospect Ricky Tiedemann leads the depth in Triple-A.
However, there is still much unknown, and much remains to be developed as the camp opens in Dunedin, Florida during February and March. For a club that has so few competitions heading into spring training, Rodriguez is immediately on the short list of must-watch stories starting just four weeks from now.
