As we premiered months ago, Yariel Rodríguez will be pitching for Cuba in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, but the Toronto Bluejays added stipulations to his participation and how he will be allowed to be used by the Cuban Baseball Federation during the tournament.
Toronto’s permission for Yariel Rodríguez in the upcoming World Baseball Classic exceeds that he pitch in relief and includes the requirement that the Camagüey native always come out of the bullpen, while also stipulating cannot exceed two innings per game.
Toronto will be evaluating Rodríguez in this relief role during Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic. Considering his 2025 season, this is a very familiar role for him, one that his organization is requiring for the national team tournament.
During 2025, he pitched in 66 games, starting only one (1.0 IP, 2 ER). In his 65 relief appearances, he never exceeded two innings and only pitched two complete innings seven times. Rodríguez finished last season with a 3-2 record, a 3.08 ERA (73.0 IP; 25 ER), 14 holds, and two saves. He struck out 66 batters and held opponents to a .196 batting average. He is not currently on Toronto’s 40-man roster.
The performance was an improvement from the 4.47 ERA that Rodriguez posted over 86 2/3 innings as a starting pitcher in 2024 (his first season in the majors), now his 22.1% strikeout rate and 11.4% walk rate in 2025 were both a step backwards from his 2024 statistics. After posting a 4.46 SIERA that almost matched his ERA, there was a much larger gap between the righty’s 3.08 ERA and 4.27 SIERA in 2025, the flamethrowing right-hander had an above-average .228 BABIP and an 81.2% strand rate this past season.
In spite of his performance the Blue Jays still outrighted Yariel Rodriguez off their 40-man roster, according to the colleague Francys Romero who gave the news at time of the transaction that Rodriguez was being designated for assignment, though the Cuban wasn’t DFA’ed, he has already cleared outright waivers without any team picking up the hurler.
It isn’t yet known if this is tied to any upcoming roster move due to the fact there were 38 men on the 40-man roster at the time of the move. Another move might be looming for the Canadian squad in the not so distant future. His inclusion on Cuba’s World Baseball Classic roster might been the underlying cause of the move.