The Blue Jays have optioned right-hander to Triple-A Buffalo to open the season, as noted by . Romero adds that Rodriguez is expected to make two or three starts at the level to continue building up before the club will look to add him to the major league roster. Rodriguez, 27, officially signed a with Toronto back in February after reaching an agreement the month prior. The righty entered the offseason as one of the winters most unusual free agents. He began Alonzo Mourning Jersey his career as a starting pitcher in Cuba but upon moving overseas to pitch in Japan, he converted to relief where he dominated to the tune of a 1.15 ERA with a 27.5% strikeout rate in 56 appearances during a breakout 2022 season, his third year with the Chunichi Dragons of Japans NPB. Prior to the start of the 2023 campaign, Rodriguez represented Cuba in the World Baseball Cla sic and made a return to starting. He pitched to solid results during the tournament but did not report to the Dragons after it came to a close, instead heading to the Dominican Republic to pursue a future in MLB. The Dragons eventually granted Rodriguez his release last fall and he was declared a free agent by MLB shortly thereafter. Given his unusual path to the majors, evaluations of Rodriguez varied considerably even by the standards of an international free agent looking for his first stateside contract. The Blue Jays wound up being the team to take a chance on Rodriguez, surely enticed by his youth and dominant 2022 season. Entering camp, Rodriguez figure to have a chance to battle with right-hander for the fifth spot in the clubs rotation behind , , and . That, unfortunately, did not come to pa s for Rodriguez, as back spasms delayed the start to his Spring Training. Manoah and top prospect Rickey Tiedemann were also delayed this spring by injuries, and so the fifth spot in the rotation will instead go to right-hander while Manoah begins the season on the injured list and both Rodriguez and Tiedemann head to Triple-A to continue ramping up for the season. Rodriguez made just two appearances with the Jays this spring, striking out three while allowing two hits, a home run, and three walks in five innings of work. Once Rodriguez has finished shaking off the rust a sociated with his lengthy layoff last year, the Blue Jays figure to make a decision regarding whether hell make his big league debut as a member of the clubs starting rotation or as part of the relief corps. Duncan Robinson Jersey