Is Yariel Rodriguez a long-term starter or is he still destined for a relief role?

As the Toronto Blue Jays begin the unofficial second half of their season, they face the distinct possibility of having a very different-looking roster by the time the trade deadline has come and gone. One player that the team has invested considerably in and is unlikely to be on the move is pitcher Yariel Rodriguez. As secure as his spot may be, the righthander has struggled to find consistency, and it’s unknown whether he’ll continue to be used as a starter or reliever.

When the Jays signed the Cuban international to a five-year, $32M, many fans wondered what his role would be, and why the term was so long. Initially, it was believed Rodriguez would start at Triple-A Buffalo, build up his workload, and join the big-league club early in the year as a starter or bulk innings relief pitcher. That’s exactly how the season began with Y-Rod getting used to a steady workload after not pitching competitively since the 2022 World Baseball Classic.

With a series of injuries to the Blue Jays pitching staff, Rodriguez made an earlier-than-expected debut, on April 13 at home against the Colorado Rockies. Considering it was his MLB debut, he didn’t look overwhelmed and struck out six batters, walked two, and only surrendered one run over 3.2 innings. The issue, as it’s been for most of his starts, was the failure to get through five innings, generally considered the baseline for a starting pitcher in the majors.

The 27-year-old pitcher threw for four, four, and 3.2 innings in his next three starts before being placed on the injured list with thoracic spine inflammation. This caused him to miss the next seven-plus weeks, as he focused on recovering and gradually increasing his workload in the minor leagues.

When Rodriguez returned, on June 21st, he had another problem, getting out of the second inning. The rookie was wild and ineffective in surrendering five runs (four earned) with three walks while recording just four outs in a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians. Some botched plays behind him could’ve extended this outing, but it was an obvious step back in his development and many people wondered if Rodriguez wasn’t better suited for the bullpen.

What he’s been able to do in his three starts since has given Jays’ fans hope he could be a mid-rotation starter. In those outings, Y-Rod has pitched to a 1.62 ERA, totaled 19 strikeouts, and most importantly, pitched 16.2 innings combined. While his last start was typical of his first four (4 IP), Rodriguez pitched six and 6.2 frames in his two games before that.

So, in eight starts, Rodriguez has gone beyond four innings twice. Early on, he was used in tandem with bulk-reliever Bowden Francis to cover six to seven innings, but that was unsustainable, and Francis has since been demoted. With the club on the verge of falling completely out of the playoff race, this season becomes more about 2025 and beyond. Rodriguez’ continued improvement, starting with his next scheduled matchup Wednesday against Tampa Bay, will go a long way toward defining his role.