Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell made his way to the mound.
It was May 28, 2015.
Making his MLB debut, Eduardo Rodriguez stood at the center of this moment. The left-hander had faced the Texas Rangers in front of 34,000 fans at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. He pitched 7⅔ scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
Farrell took the ball from Rodriguez. As the door to the bullpen swung open, Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia couldn’t help but give his evaluation.
“That’s the guy I want on the mound every fifth day,” Pedroia said.
Six years later, the Detroit Tigers signed Rodriguez as a free agent. They wanted an established starting pitcher with specific criteria: postseason experience, clubhouse leader, knowledge to teach younger pitchers and upside to get even better. Tigers general manager Al Avila described Rodriguez as “one of our top targets” and offered a five-year, $77 million contract.
Rodriguez accepted.
“I am excited to be a Tiger and appreciate the commitment being made to building a winning team in Detroit,” Rodriguez, 28, said. “In speaking with Al and AJ (Hinch, manager), I knew this is a place that would be a good fit for me and my family. I can’t wait to join my new teammates and work towards a World Series title.”
With his MLB debut in Texas, Rodriguez, then 22, became the youngest Red Sox pitcher to debut on the road since Roger Clemens in 1984. And he became the franchise’s youngest starter to win his debut on the road since Billy Rohr in 1967.
The playoff-bound Rangers weren’t short on talent, either. The opposing lineup that day, from top to bottom: Delino DeShields, Shin-Soo Choo, Prince Fielder, Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Mitch Moreland, Elvis Andrus, Adam Rosales and Robinson Chirinos.
“I think he knew he belonged there,” said former Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart, Rodriguez’s catcher that day. “The game went quickly. We were on the same page the whole time. He was very successful. I feel like that’s just Eddie to me. Obviously, it’s special, but it’s normal for me to see that.”
‘Anywhere he goes, he fits in’
Swihart and Rodriguez knew each other from the minor leagues.
Swihart was in the Red Sox’s organization; Rodriguez for the Baltimore Orioles’. They were assigned to separate Double-A affiliates in 2014, until the Red Sox dealt reliever Andrew Miller to the Orioles at the July 31 trade deadline.
In return, Boston got Rodriguez.
“I think the Red Sox do a really good job of getting guys that are really talented baseball-wise and are great people,” Swihart said. “Whether it’s trades, signings or drafts, they’ve always had a group that meshes together. Get a bunch of personalities in one room and turn them into a team.
“Eduardo fits in that. Anywhere he goes, he fits in. He wants everyone to succeed. It’s all about the team, wanting to win and doing whatever he needs to do to win. … Eddie is going to bring what he’s learned from Boston — family-wise, teammate-wise and having everyone’s back — to Detroit. That’s huge.”
Miller, by the way, posted a 1.35 ERA in 23 games for the Orioles to end the regular season. The Tigers were close to acquiring him, at least until the Orioles offered Rodriguez. Miller then helped Baltimore sweep the Tigers in the American League Division Series.
Detroit hasn’t reached the postseason since.
As for Rodriguez, he made his Red Sox organization debut for Double-A Portland. He now had Swihart as his catcher and delivered 5⅓ innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts.
“He didn’t shake me (off) once,” Swihart said. “I guess coming up, he had been restricted on what he could throw in certain situations. I had never caught him before, so I was just going based on what I saw and the feel I had for the game.
“I remember him coming up to me afterwards. He goes, ‘Hey, I’ve never done a lot of that. I’ve never thrown a fastball inside to a lefty (hitter) and then a changeup off that. I want to keep doing that.’ That made me feel really good.”
The next year, in 2015, Swihart and Rodriguez made their MLB debuts. They worked together for 13 games (75 innings) in their big-league careers, as Swihart transitioned to the outfield and first base before he was traded in 2019.
But Rodriguez’s strong debut in Texas was just the beginning of his long-term establishment.
“He’s the type of dude that everyone likes, bottom line,” said former Red Sox catcher Ryan Hanigan, whose involvement in a pair of December 2014 trades sent him to Boston.
“He comes every day to get better. He’s engaging. He’s smart. And he doesn’t really get rattled. That’s a really important thing. When he gets hit, he flushes it. You don’t see a lot of negative body language or any type of feeling sorry for himself. He’s just out there competing.
“From what I saw from a young kid, his maturity level was quite high, which is why he was able to slide right in there and continue with the Sox for all those years. He understands the ebbs and flows of the game. He was just a big favorite in terms of all the guys.”
‘He’s going to have clout’
While Swihart developed with Rodriguez, Hanigan made his impact as a veteran.
He already had eight MLB seasons in when the Red Sox acquired him, spending seven years with the Cincinnati Reds and one with the Tampa Bay Rays. Hanigan met Rodriguez in spring training ahead of the 2015 season.
“When he pitches, it’s really loose,” Hanigan, age 41, said. “He doesn’t get tight. He keeps his tempo. He pitches fairly quickly. He doesn’t mess around and think too much. For me and him, I was always trying to get him to understand I just wanted him to pitch loose and aggressive when things are rolling. But when shit hits the fan and guys get on base, then it’s about settling in and making pitches. Not wasting pitches. He got better and better at that.”
Now armed with six years at baseball’s highest level, Rodriguez has been tasked with providing leadership to Detroit’s pitching staff. The Tigers’ returning starters — Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning — completed their rookie seasons in 2021. All three have top-of-the-rotation potential.
But they’ll look to Rodriguez for advice.
“Constant communication and talking baseball is what he enjoys,” Hanigan said. “That’s who he is. I would envision that being a natural role for him. I mean, he wants to win. He’s bred to that culture. He’s going to bring a winning mentality over there. He can help those guys to understand situations, lineups and different ideas that you pick up along the way. … I mean, he’s going to have clout.”
Swihart added: “When we got called up, we had Shane Victorino, Mike Napoli, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz. It was such a winning culture that they were consistently trying to help us. Eddie might be young, but baseball-wise, he’s got knowledge from multiple Cy Young and World Series champions that he can bring to Detroit. Things that Eddie has experienced, they haven’t experienced. And if you haven’t experienced something, you can definitely learn something.”
Remember how Hanigan played all those years for the Reds? During that time, Cincinnati drafted catcher Tucker Barnhart. From the beginning, Hanigan became Barnhart’s mentor and close friend. Before the Tigers signed Rodriguez, Barnhart — a two-time Gold Glove winner — came aboard in a trade from the Reds.
Could the Barnhart-Rodriguez combination be a perfect fit?
“Potentially could be,” Hanigan said.
“Tucker understands it’s about getting guys better. Your main job is being a catcher. With young guys, it’s about developing relationships. Tucker is a great dude. He’s smart, loves it and works his ass off. He gets that pitching is hard. He’s working with you, not against you. He’s constantly trying to build confidence. He’ll be money. He’s going to help.”
One of the luxuries Rodriguez provides is his 11-game postseason résumé, which contributes to his all-around presence. As the Red Sox won the 2018 World Series, Rodriguez spent the year alongside David Price, Rick Porcello, Chris Sale and Nathan Eovaldi.
He matured on and off the field through those relationships and experiences.
“They’re getting an absolute diamond in terms of a clubhouse guy,” Hanigan said. “He wants to win. He’s very likable and outgoing. Now he’s going to be able to bring some knowledge and experience as a young guy. … He’s not the type of guy that’s really introverted, quiet and gets frustrated a lot. He’s very energetic, and he’s having fun out there. There’s nothing negative to say about him as a dude.”
Although Hanigan only stayed in Boston for two seasons, Swihart, Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez remained with the team through its World Series run. Hanigan caught Rodriguez in nine career games (50 innings); Leon had him in 24 games (117⅔ innings) during his Red Sox tenure from 2015-19.
Of all the catchers, Vazquez has the most experience with Rodriguez. He caught him for 114 games (614 innings) from 2016-21. They became so close that they often talked about becoming the next Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina, a duo with 348 games (2,013⅔ innings) together for the St. Louis Cardinals.
“Detroit got a great piece for that rotation,” Vazquez said. “He was very important for us all those years. He helped us to win the World Series. It’s a big piece for Detroit. He has a lot of tools to get a lot of wins for that team. As a teammate, he’s one of the best. He supports all the teammates in the clubhouse and brings a lot of energy on his off days in the dugout. It’s a big loss for us. We’re going to miss him.”
‘That’s the guy that you want in important games’
Rodriguez posted a 4.23 ERA in his first three seasons combined. He received his first taste of the playoffs in the 2017 ALDS but gave up two runs while failing to record an out against the eventual World Series-champion Houston Astros.
He turned in a strong 2018 — a 3.82 ERA in 27 games (23 starts) — and returned to the postseason. The New York Yankees roughed him up in the ALDS, but Rodriguez took advantage of his opportunity as a reliever in the AL Championship Series (against the Astros) with two scoreless appearances.
After that, Rodriguez pitched three games, making one start, in the 2018 World Series. He allowed four runs over 6⅓ innings in Game 4. The Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 to secure Boston’s fourth title in 15 years.
“(The Tigers) have great pitching and a lot of young guys,” Vazquez said. “But they need somebody that has done it before in the playoffs and World Series. On the big stage. I know the big heart he has for his teammates and the team. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s going to help that team a lot.”
Over the years, Rodriguez has developed his arsenal.
Rodriguez throws a fastball, sinker, changeup, cutter and slider. Near the end of the 2021 season, he worked on a curveball. His fastball averaged 92.4 mph last season.
His best pitch is his changeup, which he primarily throws to righties but uses situationally with lefties at the plate. Rodriguez’s changeup had a 28.9% swing-and-miss rate in 2021. His cutter averaged 88.3 mph, and he only used his slider 8.1% of the time despite its 24.5% whiff rate.
“In this day, you don’t need to throw 100 (mph) to throw well,” Vazquez said. “You need to learn to pitch, location more than stuff. That’s the way he is right now. He’s throwing 92-93 (mph), but he puts the ball wherever he wants. He trusts his pitches and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He gets a lot of weak contact.”
Hanigan added: “He’s got a chance to dominate. It’s just about getting him consistent with his fastball command, getting into good counts and not getting his pitch count too high. When he does that, he’s tough. With the development of the changeup moving away from right-handed hitters, that’s a huge pitch.”
Rodriguez cemented his status as a workhorse in 2019, finishing sixth in AL Cy Young voting behind Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Charlie Morton, Shane Bieber, Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito. He posted a 19-6 record with a 3.81 ERA, 75 walks and 213 strikeouts over 203⅓ innings in 34 starts.
“It was crazy,” Vazquez said. “Every time he would get one run (of support), he would hold it there. All the time, it was six and seven innings. It was amazing the way he prepared that year and went about his business.”
But Rodriguez’s career was put on hold in 2020.
He tested positive for COVID-19 in July 2020. Later in the month, he was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscles typically caused by a viral infection. The condition can lead to cardiac arrest, so he couldn’t perform physical activity for about three months.
“It was a tough year for us as a team and for him,” Vazquez said. “He stayed the whole season in his house, fighting with that stuff. It was scary. That’s the machine of the body, the heart, so anytime we hear about that, it’s tough. Thank God he’s now good and healthy.”
Rodriguez returned to the mound in 2021, pitching 32 games (31 starts) with a 4.74 ERA, 47 walks and 185 strikeouts. He set a career high with 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings and made three starts in the postseason. He struck out six and allowed three runs over six innings to win Game 3 of the ALCS against the Astros.
“I think that’s just a characteristic he has, where he’s going to work his butt off to get back because he wants to be on the mound,” Swihart said. “He wants to take that ball. To me, that’s Eddie. He’s going to put in the work.”
“I’m sure he wasn’t 100% that whole year,” Hanigan said. “The fact that he came back and was fairly rust-free in 2021, and then pitched as many innings as he did. Hell yeah, that’s huge. Give him an offseason, a new team, and he’s already relaxed financially. That all could really come together. If everything clicks and those boys get rolling, he’s going to be that ace.”
Rodriguez’s underlying metrics last season, such as his 3.32 FIP, .364 BABIP and 3.50 expected ERA, showcased the negative impacts of unlucky hits and Boston’s poor defense. His 4.74 actual ERA should be considered an anomaly.
That’s why the Tigers see a bright future ahead.
“Tigers fans need to know that he’s going to be out there every five days wearing that uniform, doing the best he can to get a win that day,” Vazquez said. “He’s going to give everything. You guys are going to love him. It’s going to be fun to watch him on the mound. I hope they cheer for him.”
So, finally, what could Rodriguez be for the Tigers?
Let his catchers explain.
“He could definitely be a Cy Young winner with his off-speed and his fastball,” Swihart said. “Eddie’s not scared. Maybe that’s the next thing. Maybe he challenges people too much or throws certain pitches when he shouldn’t because he’s not scared. But you want that competitive edge on the mound, so it’s hard to take that away from somebody.”
“The experience he has at this point, pitching in the World Series and playoff games, he’s the type of guy where he’s still so young and has a lot of life left in him,” Hanigan said. “He’s just continuing to get better. The Tigers got a guy that probably hasn’t reached his peak yet.”
“The ace. That’s the guy that you want in important games,” Vazquez said. “He’s going to pitch a lot of innings. He doesn’t like to come out of games. He gets mad. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. He wants to help the bullpen and his team. That’s the way he is. He’s a gamer and likes to pitch all the innings he can.”
After taking a moment to think, Vazquez shared an encouraging piece of information.
“He is going to be the ace of that team for a long time.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.