Cuban pitcher Yariel Rodríguez will assume the penalty for abandoning his contract with the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB), according to the Cuban Baseball Federation. Through his representatives, the athlete has agreed to pay the financial penalty for the damages caused by his decision, according to the JIT Digital newspaper.
This information published in JIT specified that the Japanese club officially announced in the last few hours that the 26-year-old pitcher was taken off the restricted list and given his release. The release was preceded by a lengthy legal process between the parties after the abandonment of the contract carried out by the athlete several months ago after the World Baseball Classic. But hours later the tweet from Jit disappeared.
Maybe the FCB noticed that what they were doing was illegal and violates OFAC sanctions levied on the communist island. Every player to receive international free agency must sign a paper renouncing any dealing with Cuba or its baseball authorities. His release by the Dragons opens the door for Rodríguez to start the process to be granted international free agency by MLB.
Alguien me puede decir que pasó en @jit_digital con la nota de la @CubanaBeisbol en la que dicen que Yariel les iba a pagar. Por cierto aquí se las dejo ⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/am9nO9Gu9o
— Yordano Carmona (@YordiMLB) October 7, 2023
The hurler is in the Dominican Republic and is seeking to sign with an MLB club. According to scouting reports, the “Gallero de San Serapio” is valued at 50 million and does not have any type of restriction impeding his possible signing because he is over 25 years old and has played six years in a professional league. Rodríguez was solid and borderlining spectacular in his starts in the World Classic.
During that tournament the righty tossed 7⅓ allowing two earned runs and striking out 10 batters. Although he did not factor in any decision he posted a 2.45 earned run average, but did walk an alarming six batters during his two starts in the tournament.
Rodríguez worked in 56 games and in 54.2 innings of work where he only gave up seven earned runs last season in the NPB. Yariel had a 1.15 earned run average during 2022 and fanned 60 while only walking 18. During the campaign he did not allow a long ball and was named the reliever of the year in the land of the rising sun. The righty also tallied 39 holds and notched six victories in 2022. The only reason the right was not the team’s closer was because Raidel Martínez his countrymen held that role.
The flamethrower’s fastball hit 100 miles per hour on the radar during one of his outings with the Chunichi last season. We will have to wait and see which organizations are interested in him and what role he will be assigned upon signing. Rodríguez is represented by Edgar Mercedes a Dominican agent and businessman who has also represented the likes of Yoenis Céspedes,Yunesky Maya and Luis Robert.
The funniest thing about this whole saga is after years of saying professional baseball was slave ball Cuba and its Federation are all in on sending players affiliated with their organization to leagues all over the world. Hypocrisy or a change in policy? I would go with the former.
Cuban ace in the V World Baseball Classic, RHP Yariel Rodriguez (26) received his release today from the Chunichi Dragons in the NPB, per sources.
Yariel is represented by Edgar Mercedes, a Dominican agent and businessman who has managed this release. Mercedes has previously… pic.twitter.com/rZ2j6l6QH0
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) October 5, 2023