After Eduardo Rodriguez posted a phenomenal performance with the Baltimore Orioles who signed him as an international free agent in 2010, the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB) wouldn’t let him go after being traded to them. They added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from draft Rule 5 selection and soon after, Rodriguez made his MLB debut on May 28, 2015.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Venezuelan left-handed pitcher who is in his fourth major league season.
Biography of Eduardo Rodriguez
The Venezuelan left thrower was born on April 7, 1993 in Valencia, Venezuela. Named Eduardo José Rodríguez Hernández, he is nicknamed E-Rod. He is the third of four children; two brothers (Jesus and Luis) and a sister (Abilis) born to his mother Magales and a father who works in construction. He is married to Catherine and they have two children; a daughter, Annie, and a son, Ian.
Growing up, Rodriguez was very athletic, and in his youth he played baseball, soccer, and basketball. In each of those sports that caught his imagination as a young man, he idolized a number of players. His favorite pitcher was fellow left-hander Johan Santana; in football, he idolizes Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo while LeBron James is the man for him in hoops.
He is naturally right-handed but took to his left arm after breaking his right arm when he was seven years old. Now he throws and beats lefties. Although he was good at baseball, he nearly gave it up after an unsuccessful tryout with the Detroit Tigers as a teenager. However, his mom stimulated him.
At 17, he signed as an international free agent with the Baltimore Orioles in January 2010. He made his professional debut that same season in the Dominican Summer League. The following season he played in the Gulf Coast League and the New York-Penn League and in 2012 he was assigned to the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Class A South Atlantic League.
He started the 2013 season with the Advanced Class A-League Frederick Keys from Carolina and was promoted to the Eastern League Double-A Bowie Baysox in June. He also appeared in the first Futures Game for Orioles during the 2013 All-Star Break, striking out all three batters he faced. Additionally, he played for the surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League (AFL). Prior to the 2014 season, Baseball America ranked him as the Orioles’ third prospect and a number of other media outlets listed him among the top 70 best players in baseball.
In 2014, he started in Double-A for Bowie where he had average playing time before being traded to the Boston Red Sox in July. He made six starts for the Eastern League Portland Double-A Sea Dogs after joining the Red Sox. Subsequently, he joined the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox in the International League playoffs against the Durham Bulls.
Baseball America ranked Eduardo Rodriguez No. 59 in baseball heading into the 2015 season. He opened the season with Pawtucket and went 4–3 with a 2.98 ERA in 8 starts.
MLB Career
In his four major league seasons, despite being nearly hampered by injury, he compiled a 31-24 record with 4.10 ERA, while striking out 487 and walking 172 in 495.2 innings started.
Eduardo Rodriguez made his MLB debut on May 28, 2015. He became the youngest Red Sox starter to make his debut since 1984 as well as the youngest Red Sox starter to win his road debut since 1967. By the end of the season, he had played in 21 games (all starts ) and compiled a 10–6 win-loss record with 3.85 ERA, while striking out 98 and walking 37 in 121 2/3 innings pitched.
In 2016, he suffered a knee injury and made a late start in May. In late June, he was picked for Pawtucket after going through his next five starts but was called up in mid-July. At the end of the season, Rodríguez appeared in 20 games (all starts), compiling a 3–7 record with an average of 4.71, while striking out 100 and walking 40 in 107 innings pitched.
Although he had a tough first start to the 2017 season, he still had his ERA at 3.10 or less for the whole month of May. In June, he re-injured his knee and was placed on the disabled list (DL) but returned to rotation in mid-July. He finished the season in 25 games (24 starts) and went 6–7 with a 4.19 ERA while striking out 150 and walking 50 in 137 1⁄3 innings pitched. Additionally, he appeared in his first MLB playoff series in 2017 (American League Division Series).
He started the following season as a member of the starting rotation. Eduardo Rodriguez made five starts in April and on July 15 he was back on the DL with a sprained right ankle. However, he had already compiled an 11-3 record with 3.44 ERA in 104 2⁄3 innings pitched in 19 starts. In August, he completed a rehab assignment with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, after which he was activated from the DL on September 1, 2018.
Height, Weight and Stats
The southpaw wonder also sports a sculptural physique. At a height of 6 feet, 2 inches. (1.88 m), he weighs 220 lb (91 kg).