The Pirates have designated infielder/outfielder Sean Rodriguez for assignment, manager Clint Hurdle told reporters (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Adam Berry). His roster spot will go to shortstop Jordy Mercer, who has been activated from the disabled list.
Rodriguez, 33, has been unable to regain his footing in his second stint with the Pirates. The versatile utilityman had a career year in Pittsburgh back in 2016 and inked a two-year contract with the Braves in free agency that winter, only to suffer a major shoulder injury in an offseason car accident. Rodriguez required surgery to repair the rotator cuff in his left shoulder following the crash, and while he returned ahead of schedule in 2017, the results simply haven’t been there.
In 326 plate appearances between Atlanta and Pittsburgh across the past two seasons, Rodriguez has managed just a .167/.277/.305 slash. That’s a far cry from the hefty .270/.349/.510 line he authored in the aforementioned 2016 campaign. Pittsburgh will have a week to trade, outright or release Rodriguez, who’ll likely be on the hunt for a minor league contract this offseason as he looks to rebuild some stock following a pair of injury-ruined seasons.
Look out nearby Gatorade coolers
Lmao he’ll never live that moment down
He shouldn’t jerk move for the nation to see
FINALLY
Adios Serpico…don’t let the door hitya where the good Lord splitya.
The worst thing that happened to Rodriguez was 2016 when he hit 16 hrs and decided he was a hr hitter. He’s been pulling off the ball ever since. I could pitch to him
That could be part of it, but I wonder if he’s really ever recovered from his injuries in the car accident with his family last year… he hasn’t been right since.
In 2016, his pull percentage was 41.6% – which is less than his career average of 43.2%.
The year after his big HR season, his pull percentage actually dropped to 40.8%.
This year, it’s only a few percentage points over his average – 46.7%, which is well below his peak year of 54.8% in 2014 – his last year with the Rays.
I get that it would seem like he’s pulling more, since it fits the mold of a guy selling out for power, but he really hasn’t. He’s just hitting the ball with less authority – 26.7% hard contact rate, which is below his career average of 30.5% and his high of 43.1% (from his big HR year in 2016).
Get outta here with your logical, fact-based arguments! There’s no place for your kind on these boards!
Serious question. Are pull rates calculated on foul balls or only on ones in play?
Fair balls.
But what good is a pull rate when he’s actually never hitting the ball? I get it that his opposite field hitting is up and his hard contact rate is down but that’s exactly what happens when you pull off the ball. Weak contact and out of the zone chasing.
I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make. You said he’s trying to pull the ball more, due to having one season where his HR’s went way up. But that’s simply not true.
He’s sucked this year, but that’s not the main point here.
No you couldn’t
This is the happiest I’ve been as a Pirates fan since the Archer trade! I’m fairly certain this move will work out better
Watch the cardinals grab them. These are the kind of moves they make and they don’t make any sense.
Him*
Watch so called Cardinal fans say the Cardinals will grab him because this is the kind of move they make. This is the kind of post those people make.
Lol
I’m not even a Cardinals fan and I know Sean Rodriguez is the last player on earth the Cardinals would ever allow on their team or in their clubhouse
Why? He’s a good dude. What’s your point? You saw the cooler incident and that’s that? I don’t see the Cardinals taking him because he’s not been the same this year, but sheesh, leave his character out of it
He once was a key part of PIrate success, but he hasn’t been good since 2016. It’s well past time for this to happen.
3 months late but thank goodness!
Feel so bad for Sean. Clearly after signing that contract he felt obligated to return as soon as possible after an off the field accident and has never been the same.
While this move has been long overdue, it could mean the end of Rodriguez’s MLB career. There’s no need to kick a guy when he’s down. He accumulated over eight years of service time and got paid close to $21 million, something he can be proud of.
I for one wish him well in his future endeavours, including a potential continuation of his MLB career.
I agree. That car accident had to take a lot out of him.
Now the Pirates need to recall Max Moroff!
He should only be in a major league park if he buys a ticket.!
Braves can go grab him and put him in the minors. I like him
He stinks
Now what will the talking heads from the Burgh blame the pirates problems on? SRod has been the favorite whipping boy all season.
Is Sean good enough to deserve a roster spot any more?
Clearly not.
Is he a class guy who has tried his best and given his all despite enduring some tough circumstances and who deserves better than to be kicked on his way out the door?
If anyone is and does, it’s him.
Well said Josh.
I think his failures are a combination of remembering the homers in 2016,trying too hard,and the issues with his shoulder.
SRod brought real heart and fire to the team.They will miss that,but the time was here to open up a roster spot for someone else.
I wish him luck.He is a good guy.
FINALLY
Lies!
Let’s not forget SRod has a bobble head day this year. He would have been dfa’d long ago if it wasn’t for that idiotic move. Whosever idea it was for that bobble head should be fired too
Put the bobblehead in the batters box and it’ll make better contact.
Wonder who will be the NL Centrals leading psychopath now that he’s gone?
Pirates suck sac
This is like dumping your girlfriend after she cleaned out your bank account.