The Athletics announced Tuesday that they’ve released veteran right-hander Fernando Rodney. He’d been designated for assignment over the weekend.
Rodney, 42, got out to an awful start with the A’s this season, pitching to a 9.42 ERA through 14 1/3 innings of work. In that series of 17 appearances, he’s allowed 20 hits (two homers) and a dozen walks while picking up 14 strikeouts. While he’s still throwing fairly hard, particularly given his age, the right-hander’ 93.1 mph average fastball is down noticeably from last season’s 94.2 mph average.
Rodney showed some cracks in 2018 after the A’s acquired him from the Twins in an August swap that sent minor league righty Dakota Chalmers to Minnesota — namely issuing 13 walks in his 20 2/3 frames following the trade. His overall season, however, was solid, and the A’s felt comfortable enough that they exercised a $5.25MM club option over the righty for the 2019 season.
There’s still about $3.53MM of that salary remaining to be paid out through season’s end, and the A’s will be on the hook for the entirety of that sum. Rodney will be free to sign with any club, and a new team would only need to pay him the prorated league minimum for any time he spends on the big league roster. That sum would be subtracted from the Athletics’ remaining obligation to Rodney.
With those numbers, he would fit in well with the Nats bullpen.
The Braves pen as well. Heck, any pen in the NL East.
I see the Yankees jumping on this. The same as they did with Tulowitzki and only having to pay minimum salary thru the end of the year.
He will always be loved by San Diego fans. Thanks for Paddack
Lol
Looks like Fernando will have to decide whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them?
The first thing you said. Not the 2nd thing.
Can’t remember the A’s ever eating that much cash.
Billy Butler says hi
Nakajima was $6M for 2 years too. He never even cracked MLB.
Eric Chavez was a money sink for them, and what made Beane never want to seriously spend in FA ever again.
Was Ben Sheets just here?
Would not be shocked if the braves take a chance on him somehow. They seem more focused on not improving the bullpen than improving it.
What a waste of money. Could have gave that money to Gio.
Pretty sure Gio had no desire to be on the A’s, he’s mentioned not being a fan of the front office before. And no team even signed him to a major league contract in the offseason.
*Kimbrel
He said earlier this year “Detroit will always be home”
Bring him home Jerry
Fernando’s favorite Avenger? Scarlet Witch. What can I say, Rodney’s a complicated dude.
He’s known to me as the bow and arrow guy. I would have guessed his favorite Avenger would be Hawkeye… So I’m with you… complicated
Coming back home to SD! Then we can trade him to the Marlins at the trade deadline for their best pitching prospect.
He went downhill in Seattle when he shot an arrow into the Angels dugout with 2 outs. That pissed off the team and Trout who wasn’t having a good game. There was a comeback led by Trout. I forget the score but it was a decent lead. I just shook my head when he did it. No reason to wake the dragon.
Can’t imagine the Nats not giving him at least a 2-week audition. At this point Davey Martinez is probably willing to pay guys like this out of his own pocket in the off chance that Rodney could make their bullpen nightmare at least more tolerable.