Story by
Former Detroit Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez signs contract with Arizona Diamondbacks
- Story by
- Former Detroit Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez signs contract with Arizona Diamondbacks
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez isn't moving all the way to Los Angeles , but he is moving west from Detroit to Phoenix after signing a four-year, $80 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks .
The 30-year-old, an eight-year MLB veteran, attended the winter meetings with agent Gene Mato to meet with teams interested in signing him. He agreed to join the Diamondbacks — runner-up to the Texas Rangers in the 2023 World Series — on Wednesday night, the final day of the meetings.
Advertisement
The deal was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan .
Rodriguez, who opted out of three years and $49 million with the Tigers in early November, has a vesting option that could bring the Diamondbacks contract to five years and $100 million. The $20 million vesting option kicks in for the 2028 season if he throws 150 innings in both 2026 and 2027.
NO PRESSURE: As industry waits for Shohei Ohtani, the Tigers' front office thinks early moves put them in 'stronger position'
Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez walks off the field after pitching the fifth inning of the Tigers' 8-0 loss on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at Comerica Park.
In the 2023 season, Rodriguez posted a 3.30 ERA with 48 walks (7.7% walk rate) and 143 strikeouts (23% strikeout rate) over 152⅔ innings in 26 starts. The Tigers and Diamondbacks play from May 17-19, 2024, at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Advertisement
One source indicated last season that the Diamondbacks were on Rodriguez's no-trade list as part of his 10-team no-trade clause with the Tigers in 2023. The Los Angeles Dodgers , of course, were on the no-trade list because Rodriguez blocked a trade to Los Angeles at the Aug. 1 trade deadline .
The Tigers and Dodgers agreed to the trade before Mato — Rodriguez's agent — stepped in with financial demands in exchange for approving the trade, causing the agreed-upon trade to fall apart.
The no-trade clause, which Mato negotiated into Rodriguez's previous contract, included teams in the Western United States. Rodriguez refused to play for teams near the West Coast in his first round of free agency — which actually helped the Tigers sign him to a five-year, $77 million contract in November 2021 — because he wanted to stay near the East Coast to be close to his family in South Florida.
The previous contract, negotiated by former general manager Al Avila, featured an opt-out clause after the second season. Manager A.J. Hinch, who developed a close relationship with Rodriguez over the past two years, helped Avila sign Rodriguez and understood details of the entire contract.
Advertisement
THE END: Eduardo Rodriguez talked to Tigers' Scott Harris but 'walked away from $49 million'
Eduardo Rodriguez’s contract signing and introductory news conference, with owner Christopher Ilitch, left, and GM Al Avila, right, at Comerica Park on Nov. 22, 2021.
At the 2023 trade deadline, the Tigers missed out on adding multiple Dodgers prospects to their organization and were forced to pay Rodriguez for the final two months of the season.
Rodriguez invoked his no-trade clause to nix the trade to the Dodgers and expressed his love for the Tigers , but three months later, he walked away from the final three years, $49 million of his contract to enter free agency for the second time in his career.
"I'm with this organization and signed here for a long time to stay here," Rodriguez said Aug. 2. "I feel happy with everything. My family feels happy in Detroit. I feel happy with my teammates and the organization. I'd really love to stay here."
Advertisement
He also added: "It's nothing about the Dodgers or the West Coast or whatever. It's about the details to go there and where my family is. My future is where they're happy and I'm happy, and that's why I decided to stay here."
The Tigers, led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris , weren't interested in increasing the money and years of the previous contract to keep Rodriguez in Detroit after he blocked the trade and opted out of his contract.
Harris and Rodriguez talked about several topics leading up to the Nov. 4 opt-out decision , including Rodriguez's family life in Birmingham, but Harris didn't meet Rodriguez's request to restructure the terms of the contract.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez throws against the Cleveland Guardians in the third inning Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at Comerica Park in Detroit.
"The way his contract is structured, it was his decision," Harris said Nov. 7. "He walked away from the $49 million. He's earned that right. We can't fault him for that right. He got it into his contract. But it was his decision, not ours, and he chose to walk away."
Advertisement
Rodriguez spent the first six seasons of his career with the Boston Red Sox . He logged a 3.58 ERA across 43 starts with the Tigers, spanning two seasons.
Rodriguez missed more than two months in the 2022 season while on the unpaid restricted list for personal reasons.
Old friend Candy
Former Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds . The deal includes a $15 million club option for the 2027 season.
Candelario to the Reds was first reported by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand . The Tigers and Reds play from July 5-7, 2024, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
Advertisement
EARLY LOOK: Tigers foresee 'competition' among third basemen, pitchers in spring training
Washington Nationals third baseman Jeimer Candelario (9) celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning at Nationals Park in Washington on Saturday, May 20, 2023.
Just over 12 months ago, the Harris-led Tigers non-tendered Candelario — rather than paying him an estimated $7 million in his final year of salary arbitration — and forced him into free agency .
"Remember, they didn't tender me because we didn't get an agreement on a contract," Candelario said Aug. 23, referencing negotiations before the Tigers non-tendered him , when he returned to Comerica Park. "At the same time, I put myself in a good position to play every single day. I let my skills and my talents go from there."
Advertisement
After the non-tender decision, Candelario signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Washington Nationals and rebuilt his value in the 2023 season, hitting .251 with 39 doubles, 22 home runs, 53 walks and 127 strikeouts across 140 games. Candelario played the final 41 games of the year with the Chicago Cubs after a trade deadline move.
His 3.3 fWAR ranked eighth among 21 qualified third basemen and second among third basemen entering free agency, only behind Matt Chapman 's 3.5 fWAR.
Candelario, now 30, was not good for the Tigers in 2022, hitting .217 with 19 doubles, 13 homers, 28 walks and 109 strikeouts in 124 games. But he was excellent back in 2021, hitting .271 with 42 doubles, 16 homers, 65 walks and 135 strikeouts in 149 games.
The bad 2021 campaign turned out to be an outlier across his past four seasons.
Advertisement
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Former Detroit Tiger Eduardo Rodriguez signs with Diamondbacks
