The Toronto Blue Jays made a major move on January 17, announcing an agreement with Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodriguez.
The signing hinges on the player passing his physical, which is usually a formality.
The Toronto Blue Jays made a major move on January 17, announcing an agreement with Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodriguez.
The signing hinges on the player passing his physical, which is usually a formality.
In this case, however, is a bit complicated as Francys Romero of MLB.com explains.
“Cuban right-hander pitcher Yariel Rodriguez (26) is still waiting in the Dominican Republic to receive a visa to enter the United States or Canada and take the physical exam with the Toronto Blue Jays. Rodriguez needs a visa from both countries but is expected to take the physical in the first of the two countries to issue his visa,” he tweeted.
The Toronto Blue Jays made a major move on January 17, announcing an agreement with Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodriguez.
The signing hinges on the player passing his physical, which is usually a formality.
In this case, however, is a bit complicated as Francys Romero of MLB.com explains.
“Cuban right-hander pitcher Yariel Rodriguez (26) is still waiting in the Dominican Republic to receive a visa to enter the United States or Canada and take the physical exam with the Toronto Blue Jays. Rodriguez needs a visa from both countries but is expected to take the physical in the first of the two countries to issue his visa,” he tweeted.
Rodriguez didn’t pitch at all in the 2023 season for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) because he was looking for his release.
That didn’t come until late in 2023.
He did pitch for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic and was rock-solid.
In 2022, however, Rodriguez showed the world a glimpse of his talent with the Dragons, pitching to a 1.15 ERA in 54.2 innings.
He has the ability to be a starter, but his most likely role with the Blue Jays, at least in 2024, is the bullpen.
