Report: Red Sox attended free agent pitcher Yariel Rodríguez’s workout

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Report: Red Sox attended free agent pitcher Yariel Rodríguez’s workout

Posted By: jasabacklink November 28, 2023

Red Sox

The San Diego Padres also attended Rodríguez’s work out.

A Rawlings MLB base is seen with the Boston Red Sox logo before a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees Friday, June 16, 2023, at Fenway Park in Boston. Winslow Townson/AP Photo

The Red Sox are looking to welcome some of the best pitchers in the world to their team. If a recent workout is to be believed, they’re not stopping at just MLB.

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According to MLB.com’s Francys Romero, Cuban right-handed pitcher Yariel Rodríguez hosted a private workout in the Dominican Republic, throwing two innings for the Red Sox and the San Diego Padres. It’s not clear if those are the only two teams vying for his services, but they appeared to have been the only teams in attendance for this workout.

Rodríguez is perhaps best known stateside for his heroics during this year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC). The 26-year-old started two games for Team Cuba, striking out 10 batters and only allowing 2 runs and 5 hits in the 7.1 total innings he played. He pitched to a 2.45 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, and his opponents hit at the Mendoza Line (.200) whenever they faced him.

Before he lit up the WBC, Rodríguez came out of the bullpen for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He spent three seasons coming out of the bullpen for the Dragons, and improved with each season. Rodríguez played the most games he’s ever played in a single season (56) in 2022, and his 1.15 ERA, 0.915 WHIP, 60 strikeouts and 6-2 record that season suggest that season was also one of his best.

That season would mark the final year Rodríguez would play for Chunichi. In late March, he attempted to seek out a MLB deal and left the Dragons to do so. His former club did not take too kindly to this, as they declared that his current contract was still valid and placed him on the restricted list.

He sat out for the entirety of 2023 and was officially granted his release by the Dragons on October 5, officially making him a free agent.

The Red Sox’s level of interest in Rodríguez is not yet apparent. But if they like what they saw out of his workout, it stands to reason that they would consider offering him the MLB contract he had always dreamed of and risked his professional career for.