Joely Rodriguez Elects Free Agency

Left-hander Joely Rodriguez cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Red Sox and elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment, per the transaction log at MiLB.com.

The 32-year-old Rodriguez had two stints with the Red Sox this season, pitching a combined 13 2/3 innings with a 5.93 ERA but more encouraging secondary marks. While Rodriguez’s 18.8% strikeout rate is a few percentage points shy of league-average, he issued walks at a tiny 3.1% clip and kept the ball on the ground at a gaudy 59.2% rate. Metrics like FIP (4.93) and especially SIERA (2.87) are far more bullish on this year’s work.

In 170 2/3 innings in the majors, Rodriguez has pitched to a 4.80 ERA. That pedestrian mark belies more encouraging strikeout and ground-ball numbers (22.5% and 56%, respectively), although Rodriguez’s ability to miss bats and keep the ball out of the air have both been undercut by sub-par command. He’s walked 10% of his career opponents and struggled to strand the runners he does allow (career 64% left-on-base rate).

This year’s 90 mph average sinker is down nearly five miles per hour from Rodriguez’s peak, but he still pitched reasonably well in Triple-A and still managed to pile up grounders in bulk at the big league level. He’ll be a depth option for clubs seeking lefty relief in the season’s final month.