Detroit Tigers: Eduardo Rodriguez rumor mill is churning

Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez may be heading "home."

While it's a rumor in itself that Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is electing free agency, the rumor mill is churning. The southpaw is expected to select free agency and depart from the Tigers organization, which is not the biggest shock.

However, the more surprising news is that he is already being linked to another organization before he even severs the ties with the Detroit Tigers. The rumor mill is churning, and it seems like a move back east might be in the cards for Rodriguez.

After all, Rodriguez came from the Boston Red Sox organization, where he began his career, making his MLB debut in 2015. He spent six seasons in Boston, seven total years after he missed 2020 due to a heart condition linked with COVID-19 that kept him off the mound.

He was a fan-favorite in Boston, and there are rumors that a reunion might be on the horizon if Rodriguez's intention to elect free agency as expected. The rumors that were reported by Jon Heyman point to Rodriguez "loving Detroit" but still looking to hit the open market.

The picture painted by Patrick McAvoy on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Red Sox site is that the two sides are going to reunite. With Boston looking to beef up their rotation, money to spend, and familiarity with what Rodriguez brings to the table, it could be too good to be true.

The truth is McAvoy's right. Boston's got a good rapport with Rodriguez, and if he was that much of a fan favorite, a reunion might be good for both sides. Rodriguez may be looking to get paid, and if Boston's pockets are deep enough, the reunion might make sense.

After all, it's no secret that Rodriguez will go somewhere that he and his family want to be. Sure, he left Boston to sign the five-year deal with Detroit, but he knows what Boston brings to the table and likely has a good sense of the city for the off-field decisions regarding he and his family.

Rodriguez vetoed a trade this summer, keeping the Tigers from moving him to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline. It was a weird few days there, but from the sounds of it, Rodriguez wanted to stay in Detroit and the move to Los Angeles was not best for him in his personal matters.

With that being said, a calculated move this off-season re-joining the Red Sox might be in the cards. I'm not sure that Tigers fans were expecting Rodriguez to jump right back in with Detroit and skip over the opt-out. The opt-out is expected, but the move right back to Boston is interesting.

Rodriguez pitched to a 3.30 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP over 152.2 innings of work for Detroit in 2023. He walked just 48 with 143 strikeouts to his credit. It was an impressive campaign for the Tigers left-hander, his best performance since he has joined the team's rotation.

However, given his good performance, hitting the open market to try and get some more money with a new contract might be the most viable option in Rodriguez's eyes. Opt-out day has not come yet, but the expectation is that he'll opt out, and a deal with Boston might also be in the cards.