Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yariel Rodríguez is coming off his first full season in the majors. Judging his year with Toronto as a whole, general manager Ross Atkins now believes he can flourish in the bullpen. All 21 of his appearances this year were as a starter. Considering that Rodríguez had a reduced workload (on average 4-5 innings), this would make his transition to the bullpen much easier. Also, Rodríguez has relief pitching experience from when he pitched as a high-leverage reliever in the World Baseball Classic for Team Japan. Rodríguez’s 2024 season was shortened due to thoracic spine inflammation that landed him on the 15-day injury list on April 29th. He returned from the IL on June 21st. Rodríguez’s limited experience as a starter could be behind the struggles that he faced this season.
Ross Atkins called Yariel Rodríguez a “solid option” for the #BlueJays in the rotation and is happy with where his workload is at as a starter, but added:
“If we were to acquire one, I think he would be an exceptional reliever.”
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) October 2, 2024
Blue Jays Could Move Yariel Rodríguez to the Bullpen
Rodríguez finished this season with a 1-8 record with a 4.47 ERA with 85 strikeouts and 86 2/3 innings pitched. Considering he did not pitch in 2023, the Blue Jays were content with his performance this season. But, due to Rodríguez’s limited workload, there were starts where he didn’t pitch five innings. So, even when he did have strong outings, he couldn’t record the win. This season showcased how Rodríguez’s lack of longevity placed more pressure on the Blue Jays bullpen. Unfortunately, fans watched how the bullpen struggled this season. Their increased workload contributed to a rough season in Toronto, so they will need to address the pen for next season. Missing closer Jordan Romano for most of the season made things even tougher.
This season, Rodríguez’s most used pitch was his slider, but he also possesses a solid fastball and splitter that he should rely more heavily on. Rodríguez has a knack for commanding with his sweeper pitch, which is his second most used pitch. He is a work in progress, and he has room for improvement next season. Rodríguez knows that he has to pitch better than he did in his rookie year. This offseason will function as his focus on making adjustments. With the emergent dominance of Bowden Francis in the starter role in the late half of the season, and with Alek Manoah returning from elbow surgery, Rodríguez being moved to the pen makes sense.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Yariel Rodríguez can use this season as a guide to work on things that he needs to improve on to dominate, and that dominance could come out of the bullpen next year. He knows that he still has a lot to learn, but he is willing to put the work in to improve himself. Considering the 27-year-old started pitching in the majors earlier than anticipated, Rodríguez dealt with the cards that he had to play well.
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