The Red Sox and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez have an arbitration hearing set for this coming Wednesday, the pitcher himself revealed upon arriving to the team’s spring complex in Ft. Myers, Fla. (link via Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com). He’s filed for an $8.975MM salary, while the team countered at a proposed $8.3MM mark (as can be seen in MLBTR’s 2020 Arbitration Tracker).
Thus far in 2020, teams have toppled players by a 3-0 margin. The Braves bested Shane Greene early last week, and that was followed by arb victories for the Twins (over Jose Berrios) and for the Dodgers (over Joc Pederson). Rodriguez and his reps at Octagon will surely hope to halt that team-side momentum — assuming the two parties get to the hearing room. The Red Sox did negotiate a two-year, $10MM deal with Andrew Benintendi late last week, which will avoid arbitration for him both in 2020 and in 2021. A two-year arrangement with Rodriguez would buy out his final two seasons of club control, so that’d perhaps be a palatable alternative if the two sides can yet agree on a price point.
Like Benintendi, Rodriguez has established himself as a key piece for the Red Sox. The soon-to-be 27-year-old Rodriguez may have even been Boston’s best starter in 2019, when he pitched to a 3.81 ERA/3.86 FIP with 9.43 K/9, 3.32 BB/9 and a 48.5 percent groundball rate across 203 1/3 innings. It was a breakthrough year for Rodriguez, who hadn’t amassed more than 137 1/3 frames in any season since the ex-Orioles farmhand made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2015.
Now that fellow southpaw David Price is no longer a member of Boston’s rotation, Rodriguez is all the more important to the team’s starting staff. However, that doesn’t mean he’ll come out on top in his arbitration hearing or earn a multiyear extension.
E Rod has really grown as a pitcher. I fear Price had a lotta influence with him n I know E will miss Price. I won’t miss him for a second. The RS need to just pay the puddly amount n sign him for a few yrs. Now is the time to bring the Brockstar back bro Boston!!!!!!
I like brock as much as any, and more than many, but right now chaim needs to go nuts signing anyone he can to a minor league deal with ST invite who can pick up a baseball and get it to home plate above 90mph.
With a pair of empty slots at #4/5 and only dumpster perez hanging around every has been vet should be chomping at the bit to audition. Any extra guys can be held as a possible flip candidate at the deadline or for insurance if the winners at the position go down or fail to hold up.
Then maybe think about brock
AtlSoxFan, you want to spend more good money after bad? Even just one year. Who at this point are you thinking of? I’d rather they give a minimal deal to Buchholz and pray between him and those in your minors, you hit pay dirt. He won’t cost much and has shown he can still pitch if he can remain in uniform. Such should allow Brock to return which at this blunt would be the best moves I feel they can make – on and off the field.
AltSox is right, you’re wrong.. Now that the Sox have some salary flexibility, they need to find starting pitching.. I love Holt too, but a utility infielder is not a high priority.
As i said, earlier this offseason I was one of the biggest preachers in the BBB – bring brock back – group.
HOWEVER
Right now this team is in dire straights now and in the near future for SP.
Because there’s 2 rotation spots open I think you could get some serious interest from guys who are still unsigned. Let’s not take one, roll the dice and hope. Let’s sign everyone we can find and throw them hour there, hope a few stick. If they do you’ve got a let up on filling out the rotation affordable in 2021 as well.
it needs to be the right pitcher. Give me a name and I’m in if the cost is low. I also see another trade coming as the team has three lefty starting outfielders. A fifth starter might be coming in a trade for JBJ and money.
They should be taking fliers on Walker, Salazar, and Sanchez at a minimum. Buchholz, Harvey, and Estrada, too, if they really want to cast a wide net/scrape the bottom of the barrel. We have 2 empty rotation spots, 3 starters who are almost guaranteed to miss some starts throughout the year, and one arm in the system that looks major league quality and ready (Hernandez, though even he may be destined for the bullpen). They have money now, time to throw a ton of crap at the wall and see what sticks.
JBJ couldn’t bring back a decent used bag of practice balls let alone a decent SP. Dream on !
Think Bloom needs to attempt signing Rodriquez LT if can get him to for the right price. He’s still very young and his knee is now fixed. Should be a solid #2-3 type for Boston for a long time if Bloom will do it. I worry that he goes that way.. Signing core guys and is more dumpster oriented than was Dan Duquette during his time.
After seeing what happens with Arbitration Hearings–I would say let the arbitrators decide–they appear pretty fair.
I wish the Sox had negotiated a 3 year deal with JBJ like the 2 year Benny deal which would have allowed him to be moved in trade without having to pay him to play elsewhere like $48 M to the Dodgers for Price.
Buch would be a good addition–Hey if he can give you 5 Inn’s every 5 days he may be worth a Maeda type incentive laden contract.
Oh Dan ads acquisitions for the majors n he turned them around, and brought new ones in, once the league caught up with them. I think Bloom is stockpiling sensibly, spaces that needed filling with potentials in minors who the teams gave up on.
ERod is also a tough call on two years. Last year was his first real success for a full year and $8m to $9m seeks like a lot but also not the issue. Does he stay healthy and move forward? If so, he’s a number one and will command $16m + then or does he get hurt or pitch lousy and still have this year’s value set next year? He probably will not sign for next year unless it’s two for $21m which would mean a tax hit of $10.5m for this year. I don’t see that happening unless the team is thinking of trading him in July.
E-Rod along with Sale, Benintendi and Devers, plus Verdugo, are the candidates to make up for the 6+ WAR they lose with Betts..
I’d be happy if ERod’s production matched last year. Don’t expect more. Benny and Sale are the obvious ones (Devers might have benefited from the ball last year and it will be hard for him to do more at the plate – his defense could continue to improve however). JDM can make him much of the loss as well as he can have a Papi type year and carry the club.
at his age i think there’s something more to give. maybe he doesny become an ace, but I could see him dropping into a lower ERA tier for at least a year.
E-Rod’s ERA was about 3.50 until Cora left him in the game to get his 19th win. He gave 8 or 9 runs (which blew up his era), but he got his 19th win.
Boston should consider getting Anderson from Toronto. theyve already added a load of veterans since then and dont have a clear fit for Shoemaker when he comes back, let alone their young starters.
id also suggest the idea of them trading an OF prospect to Toronto for one of those blocked young pitchers – a little need-for-need prospect swap.
No. Anderson was just traded to Toronto. He’s probably not going anywhereuntil the all-star break at the earliest.
Lost year for the Sox, but they will still be fun to watch. We all dream Sale goes all season without a long DL stint. Reality?!? Sox are in rebuild mode.
Never re-build. Too much financial risk. Re-tool definitely but what 2012 – 2015 taught ownership is never panic again which is what the did after 2015 and spent big money on the wrong players. They will be spenders again but outside of Betts who in 2021 is worth megabucks? They may have to wait and shrewd trades now will hopefully payoff when they are ready to invest from outside the organization. Watch for an outfielder to soon be dealt as they. have lefty hitters currently in all OF positions.
Oh really, 2016 -First in AL East; 2017 First in AL East; 2018 — Best record in MLB and WS Champs. If that’s spending “big money on wrong players” sign me up.
I was referring to the obvious or so I thought. Rusney, Panda and Hanley. Even Price too. Until 18, that was a bust. My point is the Sox last reset the tax in 17 and there was no competition for JDM in part because the Yankees and Dodgers did the same in 18. That’s what allowed NY to ink Cole. They better win or pray he’s another Scherzer because those later years are awfully risky.
Good luck finding front line pitching now, it’s a dried up well guys!
Um what about Colon?
Been there, done that.
Big Sexy will pitch for food
I predict Bloom will trade him at the deadline. Assuming he performs, definitely would be the best time to maximize the return.
CLKR – why trade JD, because he will not opt-out since he makes $19.35 million in years 4 and 5. No way he leaves