Blue Jays make a surprising move to clear a path for Edwin Diaz to join their bullpen

It appears that the Toronto Blue Jays have a better option in mind for their bullpen than Yariel Rodriguez. On Saturday (Dec. 6) the team announced that the 28-year-old right hander has cleared outright assignment waivers and has been outrighted off the 40-man roster. While Rodriguez remains within the organization right now, he would have to win a job back onto the roster in Spring Training.

It's a surprising move ahead of the Winter Meetings in which the Blue Jays have been speculated to make a big signing for a bullpen piece.

Blue Jays make a surprising move to clear a path for Edwin Diaz to join their bullpen

Throughout much of the offseason the Blue Jays have been linked to All-Star closer Edwin Diaz, who is coming off a 3.0 bWAR season with the New York Mets. In nine years in the big leagues, Diaz has accumulated a 13.8 bWAR with 253 saves, a 2.82 ERA with 839 strikeouts in 519.1 innings pitched. He has a career 1.036 WHIP and 14.5 SO/9 rate. He has been just about as dominant as any closer can be within the last decade and the Blue Jays reportedly already met with his agents earlier this season.

The Blue Jays, who have 38 players on the 40-man roster, have already been very active this offseason, signing Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce. They've now made another move just ahead of the Winter Meetings in Orlando on Monday that many believe is a prelude to them making another significant roster addition. Seeing Rodriguez get sent down is a big surprise as he was expected to be a part of this club for the foreseeable future as a useful arm in both a swing-man and late, high leverage capacity role.

Rodriguez was in his second year with the club and pitched to a 3.08 ERA in 66 games this past season. He threw 73 innings and had 66 strikeouts, with a 1.151 WHIP. The Blue Jays originally signed Rodriguez to a four-year deal worth $26 million that included a team option for 2028.

Just halfway through that deal, the Blue Jays looked like they would have been okay cutting ties with the 6'0" Cuban as they look to revamp their bullpen ahead of 2026. But 29 other teams passed on him as nobody was willing to take on his contract, of which he is owed $17 million over the next three years.

Diaz was expected to have many suitors this offseason, but a report last week by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com said that both the Blue Jays and the LA Dodgers have been linked to him. Diaz does have interest in rejoining the Mets, but also said the odds are "50-50" that a deal gets done. The Blue Jays have also been in the market for other big names on the free agent board such as Kyle Tucker, and are looking to bring back their own superstar in shortstop Bo Bichette.

With an open spot on the 40-man roster, and in the bullpen, don't be surprised if the Blue Jays make a corresponding move soon.