Blue Jays: Yariel Rodriguez confirmed to pitch for Team Cuba at the World Baseball Classic

"The rumours have been swirling for over a week now, but the official word has come down from the Toronto Blue Jays: right-hander Yariel Rodriguez will be pitching for Team Cuba at the World Baseball Classic later this spring. Rodriguez is no stranger to the WBC stage, making two starts for the national squad at the 2023 tournament. Across 7 1/3 innings, Rodriguez allowed just five hits and two earned runs with 10 strikeouts."

"At the time, Rodriguez was pitching overseas with the Chunichi Dragons in the NPB. He later signed a multi-year deal with the Jays during the 2023/2024 offseason when he was granted free agency by MLB after he didn't report back to the Dragons after the tournament, citing his desire to play in the big leagues. Since signing with Toronto, Rodriguez's time on the mound has been met with its fair share of ups and downs."

"He was used out of the rotation for all of 2024, appearing in 21 games and pitching a total of 86 2/3 innings, as the coaching staff did not let him pitch deep into games and missed some action early on in the year. During his rookie campaign, he pitched to a 4.47 ERA and a 4.34 FIP while striking out opponents at an 8.8 K/9 clip. He struggled with his command at times, evidenced by his 4.2 BB/9, and ultimately finished the campaign with a 1.315 WHIP."

"This past season, Rodriguez was moved to the bullpen, where he experienced better results. Across 66 appearances, he amassed a 3.08 ERA and a 4.40 FIP, seeing his WHIP drop to 1.151. He saw a slight decrease in his K/9 to 8.1 and kept the same walk rate, but saw a decrease in his H/9 (7.7 in 2024 to 6.2 this past year) and was ultimately seeing improved metrics as a bullpen arm."

Yariel Rodriguez will pitch for Team Cuba at the World Baseball Classic this spring after making two starts for Cuba at the 2023 tournament, allowing five hits and two earned runs with 10 strikeouts across 7 1/3 innings. Rodriguez pitched in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons before signing a multi-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays after being granted MLB free agency. He spent 2024 primarily in the rotation with mixed results, posting a 4.47 ERA and 1.315 WHIP. Moved to the bullpen the following season, he improved to a 3.08 ERA across 66 appearances, lowered his H/9 and WHIP, briefly struggled in August, rebounded in September, and made four postseason appearances including two in the ALDS.

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