Eduardo Rodriguez has been absolutely spectacular for the Detroit Tigers. The 30-year-old is showing that he is the Tigers ace & will be a big talking point for the Tigers throughout the year.

E-Rod’s Last Two Starts

Eduardo Rodriguez has been unhittable in his last two starts. No other way to put it. On April 18th in game two of the double header against the Guardians, Rodriguez was stellar.

In a Tigers 1-0-win, E-Rod threw eight scoreless innings, giving up just five hits & striking out ten. Rodriguez’s control was on point as he threw 72 of his 99 pitches for strikes. Today he was even better against a very formable Baltimore Orioles team.

The lefty held Baltimore hitless until the 7th inning. His command was again, impeccable. Rodriguez’s ERA now sits at 2.32, a team best for the Tigers starting staff. Hitters average exit velocity against Rodriguez is just 84.2, which sits in the 93rd percentile in all of MLB.

Looking Ahead

Despite the strong start for Eduardo Rodriguez in 2023, his future with Detroit is still in question. The 30-year-old has an opt after this season, with the option to leave three years & $51 million on the table. At just 30 years old, you would think the veteran left-handed pitcher would be able to get more than that on the free agent market this winter.

With the contracts of Miguel Cabrera, Jonathan Schoop, Matt Boyd, & Michael Lorenzen coming off the books after this year, the ability to pay Eduardo Rodriguez is certainly there. Also the free agent class this offseason is relatively weak making the thought of retaining E-Rod very appealing.

Despite the Tigers rough start, Eduardo Rodriguez has been the bright spot for the Detroit Tigers. The question will remain whether he will be a long-term piece for the Tigers moving forward, or if he is a player that they could look to move at the trade deadline. No matter where his future lies, E-Rod has been awesome for the Tigers to start the season & deserves his flowers.

Photo Credit: © Scott Taetsch

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