Stock Up: Eduardo Rodriguez raising trade value for Detroit Tigers
Eduardo Rodriguez had an excellent first half for the Detroit Tigers and the lefty has picked up where he left off in his first two starts of the second half.
Against the Seattle Mariners, he went five innings, giving up three hits, two runs, and striking out seven. Five days later against the Kansas City Royals, he went seven innings, allowing four hits, and two runs and striking out seven to pick up his fifth and sixth wins of 2023.
Premium E-Rod. ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/77LJbgvg8V
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 20, 2023
For the season, Rodriguez is 6-5 with a 2.69 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. The American League Central is a division where .500 baseball could very well win it and get you into the postseason. Detroit is six games back and time is not on their side. This is where things get very interesting for him and the Tigers.
He is in the second season of a five-year, $77 million contract, however, he can exercise an opt-out clause and seek a bigger contract in free agency. With the season he’s having, this is the perfect opportunity for the Tigers to sell high and get something in return. A left-handed arm like Rodriguez’s in any contender’s rotation is worth a two-month rental until the end of the season. He will get one more start before the deadline to impress teams even more.