The Detroit Tigers have reportedly reached a 5-year deal with former Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, according to multiple reports.
The deal is reportedly worth between $77 and $80 million over the five-year period.
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Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a five-year deal with between $77 million and $80 million, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 15, 2021
As one of the unluckiest pitchers in baseball last season, Rodriguez posted some ugly surface numbers: A 4.74 ERA, 1.389 WHIP and only 1.8 WAR (wins above replacement) in 32 appearances.
But dive a little deeper and you’ll realize someone might get a major bargain with the 28-year-old lefty. Rodriguez owns a stellar 3.32 FIP (fielding-independent pitching) and 3.50 xERA (expected ERA).
He struck out 10.6 batters per nine innings, walked only 2.7 per nine and ranked in the 87th percentile in hard-hit rate. All the numbers suggest Rodriguez could have a breakout 2022.
Getting out of Fenway Park would be a boost for Rodriguez, who fell victim to the right-handed friendly conditions in Boston. He finished No. 6 in Cy Young voting in 2019 and is still in his prime years, so this is a low-risk, high-reward option.
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