The Detroit Tigers have their established starting pitcher.
The Tigers on Monday signed left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to a five-year, $77 million contract, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Free Press. He can opt out after the second year and has a no-trade clause. He can make up to $3 million in performance bonuses.
Rodriguez, 28, has pitched six seasons for the Boston Red Sox after making his MLB debut in 2015. He has a career 4.16 ERA. He pitched 32 games (31 starts) in 2021, posting a 4.74 ERA, 47 walks and 185 strikeouts.
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The Red Sox extended Rodriguez the $18.4 million qualifying offer, but he turned it down during last week’s GM Meetings in Carlsbad, California.
In 2020, Rodriguez tested positive for COVID-19 and developed myocarditis, a heart condition. After missing the shortened season, he bounced back in 2021. He set a career high with 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings and made three starts in the postseason.
He also had a 3.32 FIP, the best mark of his career, despite a career-worst 4.74 ERA. Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) removes results on balls in play and focuses solely on the pitcher’s controllable outcomes: strikeouts, unintentional walks, hit-by-pitches and home runs.
Rodriguez finished sixth in American League Cy Young voting in 2019.
This story will be updated.
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