Detroit Tigers: Eduardo Rodriguez's trade value continues to skyrocket

Detroit Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has been red-hot as of late.

The Detroit Tigers have seen pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez perform exceptionally well, continuing to vault his trade stock through the roof. It's been quite the impressive start to the season for the southpaw, who has really improved things.

For the Detroit Tigers, it has to be a godsend to see Rodriguez tapping into this success, and settling in after his first year in Detroit was not really to die for. On top of that, for the Tigers, it could end up being advantageous with his trade value.

Rodriguez has made seven starts this season, and his last five have been downright dominant, really seeing him settle in out there on the mound. Here's a tweet with Evan Petzold that details Rodriguez's numbers from the last few outings.

His string of success in his last five starts has helped his overall numbers a ton as well. Over seven starts for the Tigers, Rodriguez has accrued 44.2 innings pitched, where he has managed a 1.81 ERA with nine earned runs.

On top of that, Rodriguez has managed a 0.78 WHIP while allowing just eight walks, punching out 39 opposing hitters as well. Frankly, Rodriguez has been able to go out and execute his game plan, and the results have been incredible.

Rodriguez has benefited from Robin Lund and Chris Fetter being able to work with him. His pitch mix has missed more bats in 2023, and that's not even entirely the name of the game for him. But his whiff rates are up on the FB/SL/CT combination, which speaks to his ability to tunnel.

While his velocities and spin rates have been pretty much in the same range as 2021, he has done a better job sequencing and tunneling the offerings off of one another so that they look similar and cause fits for the hitters. It's also allowed him to control the lower half of the zone and live there.

Also, something that stuck out was his extension in 2023 is higher than 2022 by a slight tick, according to Baseball Savant. This speaks to mechanical refinements that allow Rodriguez to get down the mound more efficiently, a product of Lund's expertise.

Rodriguez has really found some success in 2023, and the Tigers need to strike while the iron is hot. He's in year two of his five-year contract with the Tigers organization. He has a player opt-out after this season as well, which could play a factor in trade talks.

But it's a situation where Scott Harris has to jump the gun if the opportunity comes up. It's not that he will net a groundbreaking haul, but if the Tigers can get something for him, then its a victory. Rodriguez could become even more attractive on the trade market if another team gets desperate and wants to bring in a starting pitcher.

The Tigers need to consider trading the left-hander if the opportunity arises. Especially if Rodriguez continues to pitch at such a high level.