Blue Jays announce surprise roster decision on $32 million pitcher

The Toronto Blue Jays hope to continue their trip to Game 7 of the latest World Series with another deep run next season.

After losing their franchise slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had locked up with a monumental extension and received the news that former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber would opt back into his own deal, the Blue Jays surprised much of the baseball world by signing Dylan Cease to a contract. $210 million contract. That was a clear sign that the team would pose a threat to some other expensive additions this winter, but the latest move was a surprising bit of subtraction.

“RHP Yariel Rodriguez has been outright relinquished from assignments and removed from the 40-man roster,” the team said announced on Xformerly Twitter.

Apparently no other team claimed Rodriguez when he was placed on waivers and the team removed him from the big league roster even though no corresponding replacement was announced. The decision to actually leave Rodriguez, at least for now, was a surprise as he enters his third year with the club. five-year, $32 million contract he signed with the Blue Jays.

And it wasn’t like Rodriguez had taken a significant step back in the second year of that deal. He posted a 3.08 ERA with 17 games played last campaign, compared to a 4.47 ERA with no closing opportunities in his rookie season the year before.

“He was also on the Blue Jays roster for both the ALDS and ALCS,” said Mark Polishuk wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “However, the outright placement clearly puts Rodriguez in line as something of a secondary option within Toronto’s bullpen plans, and likely makes him a trade candidate for the remainder of the winter.”

The Blue Jays’ decision on Rodriguez could be driven by some confidence about an upcoming addition to the bullpen. And given the team’s aggressive stance so far this winter, fans can hope to see the addition of another high-powered reliever like Edwin Diaz or Robert Suarez.

But Rodriguez’s replacement may already be on the Blue Jays roster. After confirming Bieber’s return and signing Cease, the team also added Cody Ponce and could now have a six-man rotation.

Re-signing a player like Jose Berrios or Eric Lauer to replace Rodriguez could be considered next. Meanwhile, it seems unlikely the Blue Jays will get much trade interest in Rodriguez, as no other club was willing to pick up the remainder of his contract after he was placed on waivers.