Eduardo Rodriguez Mysteriously Vetoes Trade To Dodgers

One of the most intriguing MLB trade deadline subplots concerned the Detroit Tigers and starter Eduardo Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was one of the top available potential starting pitchers in a huge sellers market, with contending teams lining up to make offers.

Reportedly, earlier Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to terms with the Tigers, an unsurprising outcome given the Dodgers’ pitching woes. Except, a few minutes before the deadline, news broke that Rodriguez had vetoed the trade.

The 30-year-old starter had negotiated a no-trade clause in his agreement with the Tigers, signed before the 2022 season. And the Dodgers were apparently one of the 10 teams on it.

That’s not particularly surprising, pitchers frequently have no-trade clauses, but the apparent reasons for Rodriguez turning down the trade are a bit more…perplexing. According to multiple Dodgers’ beat reporters, his reason for vetoing the deal was a desire to remain closer to his family in Florida.

He vetoed the trade from Detroit to Los Angeles to be closer to his family in Florida? Even though Los Angeles is about an hour and a half further from Florida and there’s only two months left in the 2023 season? And MLB teams play half their games on the road? Huh?

Jul 5, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) throws a pitch against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Eduardo Rodriguez Has A Bit Of A Confusing History

Rodriguez has had an outstanding 2023, with a 2.95 ERA, strikeout rate over nine, and 2.2 WAR, per Fangraphs.

That’s a significant recovery from a disappointing 2022, with a strikeout rate around seven and an ERA over four. But 2022 for the Tigers and Rodriguez was even more odd, considering he essentially disappeared for over three weeks.

READ: DETROIT TIGERS HAVEN’T HEARD FROM PITCHER EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ IN OVER 3 WEEKS

Given his history of confusing behavior, the Tigers’ choice of trade partner is bewildering, to say the least.

Why choose the Dodgers, knowing they were on his 10-team no-trade list, with no guarantee he’d waive it? Why not take a guaranteed offer from another organization, especially since Rodriguez can opt out of his deal this winter and sign elsewhere, with Detroit getting no return.

Wanting to be closer to family is admirable and understandable. But Rodriguez is expected to exercise his opt out and become a free agent again. He’d have been in Los Angeles for just a few months, half of which would have been spent on the road regardless.

The entire incident is just extremely confusing. Rodriguez denying a trade for just a few months, citing family concerns, after disappearing from his team last year, the Tigers not giving themselves time to pivot to another team…it’s all very weird.

And when all’s said and done, the Dodgers rotation, one of the worst in baseball, didn’t get better.