FORT MYERS, Fla. — Joely Rodriguez was the very first free agent signed by the Red Sox following the 2022 season, and the membership entered final yr hoping he might grow to be the lead left-hander out of its new-look bullpen.
That didn’t work out after a collection of accidents restricted the lefty to only 11 video games, and following the yr the Red Sox declined his $4.25 million membership possibility, making him a free agent as soon as once more.
But the Red Sox hadn’t fully misplaced religion in Rodriguez, and shortly afterwards Boston introduced him again on a minor league deal. Now Rodriguez is again in large league camp as a non-roster invitee hoping to earn one other shot, and chatting with the Herald this week he mentioned he’s totally wholesome and able to show himself as soon as once more.
“Right now I feel 100%, ready to go and forget about the negatives, what happened last year,” Rodriguez mentioned. “New year, new goal.”
When wholesome Rodriguez has proven he could be an overwhelming weapon out of the bullpen. In 2022 he struck out 57 batters in 50.1 innings whereas posting a 4.47 ERA with the New York Mets, and that season he additionally ranked among the many sport’s elite at avoiding onerous contact.
But final yr he might by no means keep on the mound, happening the injured listing three separate instances. He missed the primary six weeks of the season with a proper indirect pressure, went down once more two weeks later with left shoulder irritation, and following his return in July he lasted one other three weeks earlier than happening for the season with proper hip irritation. Overall he posted a 6.55 ERA in 11 innings.
Keeping his damage historical past in thoughts, the Red Sox are taking it very slowly with Rodriguez this spring as he steadily ramps up. Tuesday he took the mound for the primary time by throwing a dwell batting observe session to Vaughn Grissom and Jarren Duran, and catcher Connor Wong mentioned he was impressed by the best way Rodriguez threw.
“I thought he looked really good,” Wong mentioned. “He threw a couple of breaking balls, I know that was a pitch we were working on last year just to get some things moving in to the righties or away from the lefties, he’s obviously got the really good changeup and can run the fastball up at times. If he can consistently throw that pitch I think it spreads the plate a little bit more for him, but I thought he looked good.”
It will possible nonetheless be a while earlier than Rodriguez pitches in a spring coaching sport, but when he can keep wholesome and get again to his 2022 kind, he might re-emerge as a viable contender for an Opening Day roster spot.
In the meantime, Rodriguez is attempting to deal with what he can management and hope that issues will work themselves out in the long run.
“Do all your work, do all your things when you get to the game and you never know what’s going to happen at the end of spring training,” Rodriguez mentioned. “My focus right now is to try and be healthy 100% and have a really good spring training.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com