Yariel Rodríguez will finally reach the goal he set out to attain when he decided to defect from Cuba shortly after the World Baseball Classic in 2023. As per the colleague’s Francy Romero’s report the Toronto Bluejays have called up the flamethrowing hurler to the majors making him the 23 Cuban to play in the big league this season.
Last Sunday he made his second start of the season in Triple A with the Buffalo Bisons, again he would face the Worcester Red Sox, a farm club of the Boston, to whom the previous Tuesday he had no-hit for four innings (BB, 6K). “El Gallero de San Serapio” as he known by the Cuban faithful was looking to find his form in the tune-up for his call-up to the Big Show.
The Toronto Blue Jays are calling up 🇨🇺RHP Yariel Rodríguez (27).
In 6.1 innings in Triple A he stuck out 10, allowed a hit, 3 walks with no runs.
He pitched 5 innings in Spring Training striking out 3, allowed 2 hits, a run and 3 walks.#MLBCuba
— CubanBaseballZone 🇨🇺⚾️🌎 (@CubanBaseballZN) April 12, 2024
The role he will take up with the team in MLB is still unknown. It was a quite logical decision on the part of the organization that to start the right-hander in the minors, after discomfort in his back only allowed him to make two starts in spring training.
In his last start with the Buffalo Bisons he only worked for 2.1 innings in which he allowed one hit, walked two, hit a batter and struck out a total of four to reach 10 in 6 ⅓ innings of work in the young season. Rodriguez did not allow a run during his stint on the farm, posted a 0.63 WHIP and a SO9 of 14.9.
During the spring he made two starts and pitched five innings, where he struck out three, allowed only two hits, walked three and allowed one run. In the 2023 World Classic, Rodríguez made two starts (Netherlands and Australia) and in 7.1 innings he allowed two runs via 5 hits and struck out 10. The righty with his bonus and salary is scheduled to make a combined 3.6 million this season