Detroit Tigers: Eduardo Rodríguez finished strong in 2022

Detroit Tigers starter Eduardo Rodríguez ended 2022 on a high note.

The Detroit Tigers signed Eduardo Rodríguez to a five-year, $77 million contract this offseason. During former General Manager Al Avila’s attempts to add in some talent this offseason, he grabbed a run-of-the-mill southpaw in Rodríguez.

The idea was that he would be able to anchor down the front of the Detroit Tigers’ starting rotation and be an ace if Casey Mize did not win the role outright. Instead, there was a higher likelihood that Rodríguez pitched to an ERA north of 4.00, a WHIP closer to the 1.30 range than 1.20 on the season.

Granted, he’s had his health issues after a bout with COVID-19 left him off the field with some heart problems. But the expectations that Rodríguez would be an ace, or even a $15.4 million-AAV pitcher in a rotation that has bred some intriguing pitching prospects is quite the bold take.

But there is no reason to sit here, beat the dead horse, and drag Avila through the dirt any more than he already has been. But Rodríguez was able to settle into the rotation after his absence from the team this summer.

After virtually disappearing without a trace, or at least failing to contact the Tigers while he dealt with family matters, Rodríguez missed a good chunk of the year. He was placed on the restricted list on June 13th, with the last start before his absence taking place on May 18th against the Tampa Bay Rays.

With 94 days between starts, Rodríguez took to the mound again in August against the Los Angeles Angels on August 21st. He has since made his final start of the year after adding a quality start on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners.

Rodríguez may not have thrown a no-hitter or dazzled the Mariners, but he delivered six innings and was able to pick up a quality start after allowing three earned runs over six innings of work. He allowed six hits but punched out seven in the process.

For Rodríguez, it may be par for the course, but it brings his season standings to a decent standing. He was able to finish off the 2022 season on a good note.

Rodríguez made 17 starts in 2022 while accumulating 91 innings pitched. He managed a 4.05 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP and has punched out 72 opposing hitters in 2022. While this is about a half-year performance, it’s still pretty on par with the whole season.

While getting overly excited about Rodríguez and his future is hard, this was a good way for him still to manage a good performance during the 2022 season. His absence from the team hampered his opportunity for a full season on the mound, but he was still able to come away from the 2022 season on a good note.

Detroit Tigers started Eduardo Rodríguez made the most of his return.

In fact, Rodríguez made eight starts after returning from his absence, managing a 3.72 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in the process. Being able to get Rodríguez back on the mound helped build him up.

With so many pitching injuries and a $15.4 million annual price tag (though it does truly fluctuate), getting the most they can out of Rodríguez is key for this team moving forward. They need to hope he can settle into the team’s starting rotation.

On top of that, with Scott Harris presiding over the Tigers’ baseball operations now, things could change. He mentioned that the team will take “calculated risks” moving forward. This makes it hard to think that moving Rodríguez, if the opportunity allows, is off the table; it feels like it’s the other way around.

For the Tigers, seeing Rodríguez finish off the season and get himself back on track can only be good for them and for him.