Yariel Rodriguez is a name to watch for Cubs |
There was a lot of blame and finger-pointing to go around when the Cubs season finally ended this season. No matter what side of the spectrum you're on, everyone had a reason why they felt one thing was to blame more than others, and all those arguments were valid. However, the one argument that everyone came to a consensus on was the bullpen and how it imploded down the stretch when it mattered the most.
Building a successful MLB bullpen is a meticulous process that can't be taken lightly. For whatever reason, Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins haven't taken it as seriously as they should have the past two seasons as the Cubs tried to revamp their bullpen with a bunch of reclamation projects hoping to revitalize their careers. Sometimes, you catch lightning in a bottle like you saw with Julian Merryweather and Mark Leiter Jr. Even those guys struggled at one point as the Cubs bullpen let way too many games get away down the stretch. When you look back on the season, the Cubs bullpen was used too much this season, as David Ross tended to pull guys too early. Whether it be the starters or the bullpen, Ross didn't seem to trust his guys to get out of jams, which put the bullpen in a tough spot far too often. For the most part, Michael Fulmer, Merryweather, Leiter Jr, and Adbert Alzolay were nails, but once they started to falter late, it was an absolute train wreck. While the back end of the Cubs pen was the lone bright spot most of the season, it was the rest of the pen that was an issue, as the Cubs had a hard time getting the ball to the guys in the back. Brad Boxberger was brought in to be the bridge guy in the middle, but he missed nearly five months this past season and became a lost signing. Keegan Thompson and Brandon Hughes were also key cogs in the pen during the 2022 season, but whether it be injuries or a lack of command, neither made an impact this season. Despite the overall needs at certain positions for this team, the bullpen remains a huge focus, and incoming free agent Yariel Rodriguez is a name to watch as an addition. The Cuban-born right-hander burst onto the scene in 2022 when he elected to spend the season in Japan as part of the NPB. It was during that season when Rodriguez turned in a ridiculous 1.15 ERA over 54.2 innings, with 60 strikeouts and just 16 unintentional walks. Anytime you put up numbers like that, you will get attention, but for whatever reason, the 26-year-old disappeared following the season and wasn't linked to any teams. Rodriguez pitched in the 2023 WBC as part of the Cuban National team. Still, apart from that, he never returned to Japan and spent the entire season training in the Dominican Republic instead of pursuing an MLB contract. The whole not pitching in 2023 is an interesting story as his team, the Chunichi Dragons, insisted he was under contract and never released him, which prevented him from signing another deal. Well, the bad blood seems to have run its course as Rodriguez has been given permission to seek a new contract, and many feel it will be the MLB that will come calling. At just 26 years old, Rodriguez has a lot of life left in his arm despite being a starter in his younger days. Although he is armed with a fastball that can touch 96-97 MPH, Rodriguez never panned out as a starter, and it was when he became a full-time reliever when the success came. That sounds similar to Leiter Jr and Thompson, so the Cubs know a thing or two about guys like that. While it is possible that whoever signs him could use him as a starter again, given his success out of the pen, that is where Rodriguez will most likely go. Given how good he pitched and his overall potential, his expected price tag is around five years, with upward financials in the 50-60 million range. That may seem like a lot for an unproven reliever, but when you look at the numbers he posted, it would be considered a bargain. His limited sample size in 2023 is a concern, but if you look at his WBC line from this season, you can see why teams are interested. He totaled 7.1 innings between the two outings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and six walks, with 10 strikeouts. The strikeout numbers are great, and the hits and runs are awesome, but it was the walks that were a concern, which is why his days as a starter may be over.
