Dec. 16: Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets some updated details on Rodney’s contract, noting that his $4.5MM guarantee comes in the form of a $4.25MM 2018 salary and a $250K buyout on a 2019 club option. Rodney will also earn an additional $1.5MM if he finishes 55 games in the upcoming season, or $1MM if he makes 65 appearances. In a subsequent tweet, Nightengale further specifies that the reliever will make $300K per five games finished, starting with his 35th game and ending at 55 games.
Dec. 15: The Twins have announced the signing. Rodney told reporters in a conference call that he was indeed told that he’d have the opportunity to step into the Twins’ ninth-inning vacancy (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger).
Dec. 14, 10:35am: Mish now corrects his report (via Twitter): Rodney is only promised $4.5MM and can earn another $1.5MM via incentives, it turns out. There’s also an option for the 2019 season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com tweets.
10:28am: The Twins have struck a deal with free agent righty Fernando Rodney, according to Craig Mish of MLB Network Radio (Twitter links). He’ll receive a $4.5MM guarantee on a one-year term upon passing a physical, becoming the latest in a long line of relievers to secure significant annual salaries in an otherwise sluggish free agent market.
Rodney is nearing his 41st birthday but still brings a power arsenal to the table and drew interest from multiple organizations. And he has ample experience in the late innings, making it seem likely that he’ll step into the Twins’ open closer role.
While the veteran hurler managed only a 4.23 ERA on the season in 2017, he did save 39 games for the Diamondbacks. The runs tended to come in bursts, too, as Rodney gave up three or more on five separate occasions but did not allow an opponent to cross the plate in fifty of his 61 appearances.
Those clean frames don’t often come without baserunners, of course, as Rodney has a long-established penchant for doling out quite a few free passes. He averaged 4.2 per nine in two of the past three seasons and 5.1 per nine in 2016.
That often makes for an adventure — as it’s familiarly known, The Fernando Rodney Experience — but there are reasons that Rodney is still often effective. He continues to generate strong groundball numbers (52.2% in 2017), doesn’t allow many long balls (0.67 per nine for his career), and still generates a healthy number of swings and misses (12.2% in 2017) with an arsenal predicated on mid-nineties heat and a devastating change.
[Related: Updated Minnesota Twins depth chart]
For the time being, Rodney projects to join impressive sophomore Trevor Hildenberger, Ryan Pressly and Tyler Duffey as right-handed options at the back of the Minnesota bullpen, with Taylor Rogers serving as the primary left-handed setup option. Of course, there’s still plenty of room for the Twins to supplement that relief corps both in free agency and on the trade market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
He’s due to be Bad Rodney.
Definitely getting around
How many teams is this now?
its called google
Don’t be a troll google
This will be his 9th team by my count!
Bwaahaha twins are going backwards
Weather he is or isnt the closer i would still take him for a few in this bullpen
….annnnnnnnd i can’t spell
B- for the effort.
The Fernando Rodney Experience will never end!
Hope the twins can teach him how to wear the baseball hat properly
Yes, it’s worth a try. Get the hat straight and maybe his walks would go down.
Not a fan.
Actually looking at his game logs, after April he was pretty solid besides a couple gamed he got blown up
lot a pitchers look “solid” after you remove a whole month and some blow up games. Unfortunately, they all count
True, but I’d much rather have a pitcher give up 8 runs in 2 innings twice per every 10 scoreless outings than I would a pitcher give up 1 run every single outing.
One of the longest lasting “up and down” relievers you will ever see. I remember when he first came up with Detroit years back lol. Solid deal for him
Love the deal. Budget friendly and could possibly catch lightning in a bottle. You never know with Hot Rod. Wish the Mets could have landed him.
Budget friendly, might end up costing 6 mil???? He’s a kerosene tank waiting to light every night.
Bizarre that they’d build up a pitching analytics team headed by Josh Kalk and THIS is the bullpen move they make. Yikes.
Relative bargain considering the going rates for other relievers
I guess… the other relievers that have signed are good, though.
Poor twin fans.. you’re in for some crazy 9th innings.
I don’t mind this if he’s slotted in as a 7th inning reliever or low leverage situation guy. He is not someone I wanna see as the closer.
Yes he stunk up wean he was with the angels that’s all I remember about him it was a lousy free agent signing for Anaheim!!!
Do you guys think Fernando Rodney is the worst pitcher to ever record 300 saves? He’s had his good years I’ll give you that, but I can’t think of anyone with that amount of saves that I would consider to be a worse pitcher.
Jose Mesa had a pretty shaky career and had over 300 saves. Todd Jones definitely had a few rough seasons throughout his career as well. I’d say Rodney is better than both those guys. Definitely in the bottom 3 of 300+ save pitchers though.
Forgot about Todd Jones. I only saw Jones and Mesa in the latter stages of their career. but I’ll take your word for it. I’ve seen rodney’s Entire career which is probably why he jumps out at me as the worst.
How does he keep getting a check
Maybe he”s better than your perception.
Somebody who has gotten 300 saves has to be the worst of the bunch. I’m saying it is him. Far from the worst closer around but as far as guys who have that many saves I can’t think of anyone less dominant or who I wouldn’t take over him. Pretty strong group of guys with 300 saves. Francisco Cordero is the only other guy I could think of that you may Be able to rank below Rodney.
I’ll take that back. I’d rather have Cordero too. Though that’s really the only guy I could see an argument for.
Not a flashy signing like a Holland or Davis. But the dude does seem to get the job done. Inexpensive and short term, what’s not to like? Here’s to hoping Thad Levine can deliver us Twin fans a Darvish Christmas gift.
At least he won’t have to pitch in the Metrodome and relive losing Game 163
Is that the game when Inge “wasn’t” hit by a pitch?
Yes it was. I was fine with the call and not because I’m a Twins fan. Players shouldn’t be allowed to wear jerseys that are four times too big in order to get a HBP call.
If it happened to the Twins, I’d agree with a non call there too.
Rodzilla has nine lives.
Rodney and Pineda on the same team……wh….what’s happening
Has this guy played on every single MLB team yet? It’s gotta be close.
Not even bud
The Tribe better look out now that the Twins have a closer who can get an AARP card in a few years
C’mon Flavine, that’s the best you can do?? The team already has Pressly, a younger, cheaper version of Rodney that also cannot be trusted to come into a game with runners on base. If all you needed was someone to come in and pitch the ninth with zero outs and the bases empty, there are other options.. Like maybe Luke Bard or Nick Burdi ?? On the plus side, guess we’ll see the use of a bullpen cart to assist the 41 yo Rodney to travel the distance from the bullpen to the mound.. Doubt this signing has any of your starters breathing a sigh of RELIEF!!
If you like drama he will deliver. I remember him with Seattle, he would walk two guys before getting the save. Always a high wire act with this guy
If he wasn’t 40. He could possibly possibly at for all 30 teams.
Edit.
Nevermind thought he played for way more than 8 teams the wins are 9.
I think it is because there are some potential future closers in the system that helped the decision to sign a stop gap closer rather than an long term solution which would require a larger commitment. I feel about as good about Rodney taking the mound as I did Capps but saving money at closer will hopefully keeps them in the market for a solid starter
I really hope you’re right…if this is a precursor to Darvish or equivalent starter, it could be money well spent. The Twins will only be asking for 60-70 innings max from Rodney, so this signing can’t hurt that much…but again that depends on if remaining resources are spent on a quality starter if not 2…
Sports !!!
This guy pitches like he’s been waiting too long to relieve himself. Never comfortable
At the Press Conference, dressed in a suit, white shirt and red necktie, Rodney commented, ” I tell ya, I don’t get no respect”.
Kinda like an older version of K-Rod. Still getting the job done, but the ability could disappear at any moment. I see the Twins looking for a closer at the deadline.