At the trade deadline, the Detroit Tigers were very close to sending left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the veteran lefty had a no-trade clause to Los Angeles and ultimately chose to exercise it.
As a result, Rodriguez remained in Tigers threads for the remainder of the season.
However, things appear to have changed a little bit. According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, Rodriguez has informed teams that he no longer has a geographical preference. Morosi notes that this is good news for the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, who should be very active in the starting pitcher's market.
Eduardo Rodriguez changes his tune
Rodriguez has now supposedly changed his tune. This recent report from Morosi is likely not going to sit well with Tigers fans.
A deal was very close, and the two clubs had actually agreed upon it. However, it fell through at the last second. Tigers fans will likely be frustrated because had the deal actually taken place, they could have potentially picked up some solid prospects from the Dodgers and added depth for the future.
Detroit was much better in 2023 than they were expected to be. They still lost 85 games but managed to finish in second place in a weak AL Central, 10 games behind the Minnesota Twins.
But with this latest news, Rodriguez's market has grown. Perhaps the Dodgers could swoop in and sign him after failing to acquire him at the trade deadline. Other teams like the Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees, who need starting pitching badly, could also be in play for the left-hander.
But as of now, it appears that Rodriguez no longer cares about where he is pitching in terms of a geographical preference. The 30-year-old opted out of the remaining three years on his five year contract with the Tigers.
Rodriguez finished the 2023 season with a record of 13-9 and an ERA of 3.30 in his 26 starts. He missed the month of June with a pulley rupture in his finger, but was productive when healthy.
If Rodriguez were to sign with the Dodgers, it would be quite the plot twist, and it would only add fuel to the fire for Tigers fans who may have already been frustrated about him rejecting a trade to Los Angeles.
But the offseason is still young, and free agency should ramp up in the coming weeks.
