Detroit — The Tigers are going to be without left-handed starter Eduardo Rodriguez indefinitely, and not because of an injury.
The club announced before the game Monday they had placed Rodriguez on the restricted list. He will not be paid during his absence and he does not count against the 40-man roster.
“Eduardo Rodriguez has informed the club that due to personal matters, he will not rejoin the team at this time,” read a statement from general manager Al Avila. “As a result, Eduardo has been placed on the restricted list until further notice.”
Manager AJ Hinch said he has talked to Rodriguez but couldn’t speak much on the issue.
“The statement is what it is,” he said. “I look forward to him returning, whenever that is. We will continue to support him.”
Asked if he saw this coming, Hinch said, “The restriction list part is the relationship with the player and the organization. I knew he wasn’t going to make his start. I knew he wasn’t going to pitch in the Major Leagues or the minor leagues at this time. So this was inevitable.”
Rodriguez had been on the injured list with a ribcage sprain and had been out since May 19. He made a rehab start with Toledo last Thursday and was impressive, striking out nine in four innings. The expectation was that he’d start for the Tigers on Tuesday.
Something changed between that outing and Sunday.
If it was an injury situation, Rodriguez would just remain on the injured list and not forfeit any salary. That he and the club agreed to go on the restricted list indicates an issue either within his family or something else not baseball related.
Signed to a five-year, $77 million contract in November, Rodriguez has made just eight starts this season.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky
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