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Blue Jays 2024 Player Review: Yariel Rodríguez gets his first taste of Major League Baseball

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The Toronto Blue Jays signed a handful of veteran roster players to short-term deals this past offseason except for Cuban product Yariel Rodríguez. The right-hander locked down a five-year deal worth $32 million (the fifth year is a player option), signing with the Jays because the organization was one of the only clubs willing to let him start in the big leagues (amongst other reasons).

Before joining Toronto, Rodríguez spent parts of six seasons in the Cuban National Series, the top level of baseball in the nation, and was pitching in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons from 2021 to 2022.

Last year, Rodríguez suited up for Team Cuba at the World Baseball Classic and the right-hander remained in the Dominican Republic to pursue a Major League deal instead of returning to Japan. He did not pitch competitively outside of the WBC last year before being eligible for MLB free agency early into the offseason and later signing with the Blue Jays

Yariel Rodríguez in 2024:

ERA: 4.47
Games Started: 21
Innings Pitched: 86 2/3
FIP: 4.34
xERA: 3.91
WHIP: 1.32
BB/9: 4.15
K/9: 8.83
FWAR: 1.0
Salary: $3.6 million

Rodríguez began the season in the minor leagues after suffering from back spasms during Spring Training and falling behind with getting innings under his belt. After getting a handful of starts under his belt in triple-A, Rodríguez joined the Blue Jays in mid-April and formed a tandem with Bowden Francis for the two pitches to eat up innings as a one-two punch.

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In his debut against the Colorado Rockies, Rodríguez allowed one run (a solo homer) through 3 2/3 innings while allowing two walks and four hits. He struck out six batters through 68 pitches. Rodríguez would make four starts in April before landing on the IL due to thoracic spine inflammation, beginning his rehab assignment in Buffalo in mid-May and remaining out of the Jays rotation until mid-June.

Overall, Rodríguez was getting his feet wet in the big leagues while being managed on a pitch limit that had him hovering mostly between the 70-90 mark, with his top pitch count being at 88 on August 16th. The 27-year-old would finish the season with a 4.47 ERA and a 90 ERA+ while pitching to a 1.32 WHIP and a 4.34 FIP. He struggled at times with his command – evidenced by his 4.2 BB/9 – but was able to generate some respectable swing and miss (8.8 K/9) while sitting in the 76th percentile in barrel % (6.3) and average exit velocity (87.8 MPH).

Opposing batters mustered a .276 BABip against the Blue Jays newest starter while posting a .229/.319/.387 slash line with a .706 OPS. He sat at the league average in terms of home runs (3.0%) and limited the contact with his five-pitch mix, with his slider ranking a +5 run value while his fastball struggled to a -5 run value.

One of the biggest knocks on Rodríguez’s inaugural campaign was his inconsistency on the mound. There were times when he was downright dominant (two earned runs allowed from Sep/01 to Sep/15 with 11 strikeouts through 12 1/3 innings) and there were times when he was pitching like it was a home run derby (15 earned runs and five home runs from Aug/16 to Aug/27 through 14 1/3 innings).

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These inconsistencies combined with some lack of control on the mound – he allowed at least one walk in every outing and had three or more walks in 23.8% of his starts – led Rodríguez into some tough situations which drove up his pitch count and impacted how long he stayed in the game. After not pitching competitively last season, the Jays had a clear plan for their starter and kept him on that track for the whole season when he was healthy.

Looking ahead to next season, Rodríguez will be fighting for a spot in the rotation alongside Francis, Jake Bloss, Adam Macko, and any other pitcher they take a flyer on in the offseason. Rodríguez’s contract has a clause where he cannot be optioned to the minors following the first year of his deal without his consent, which bodes well for him remaining in the big leagues unless the Blue Jays want to designate him but it will be telling to see if that path is in the rotation or the bullpen.

A strong spring will go a long way but he will have to fend off some tough internal competition, especially from Francis who was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Majors following the trade deadline.

With the right-hander likely under fewer pitch restrictions following his 2024 season, if Rodríguez can reel in his command and find a way to be more consistent in his starts, there is a real chance that the Cuban’s five-year deal will look like an absolute steal down the line given the current starting pitcher market.

Previously in this series…