Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez made his long-awaited season debut in Wednesday's 5-3 victory over the Guardians. Rodriguez went five-and-two-thirds innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits (two home runs) and two walks while striking out just one batter. The lefty picked up the win despite not missing many bats as he coaxed just two swings-and-misses in the outing but should have a much more favorable matchup in his next turn through the rotation when he faces the Rockies at home in his next start. The 31-year-old is coming off a strong 2023 season with Detroit where he went 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA (3.66 FIP), 1.15 WHIP, and a 15.3% K-BB%.
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said before Monday's series opener against the hosting Cleveland Guardians that starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (lat) will officially start for the team on Tuesday. After a season full of stops and starts because of injuries, Rodriguez will make his highly-anticipated D-backs debut in Tuesday's game against the Guardians. Rodriguez first suffered a strained left lat in spring training before running into several setbacks on the road to recovery, but he's ready to roll after throwing a four-inning simulated game on Wednesday. Rodriguez accrued a strong 3.30 ERA in 152 2/3 innings with the Detroit Tigers in 2023, but he'll be difficult to trust for fantasy purposes against the first-place Guardians on the road on Tuesday.
Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) will throw a four-inning simulated game on Wednesday and could be an option to come off the injured list to make his debut with the D-backs next week on the road against the Cleveland Guardians, according to manager Torey Lovullo. It's a bit surprising that Arizona isn't going to require the 31-year-old veteran southpaw to go on a minor-league rehab assignment despite having not pitched at all in 2024 after initially injuring his shoulder/lat in spring training. Because of the fact that he's expected to join the starting rotation without having pitched in a live game all year, fantasy managers should be extremely hesitant to rely on E-Rod, especially in a bad matchup in Cleveland against the first-place Guardians. When Rodriguez is fully stretched out, he'll make for a matchup-based streamer in deep-mixed leagues, at best.
Eduardo Rodriguez Scheduled For Another Bullpen On Tuesday
Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (lat) is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Tuesday, July 23. Rodriguez was injured on March 19 in a Cactus League game and underwent an MRI exam on July 6, which showed that his left lat was healed. The team had been taking things slowly since Rodriguez had a setback early in the process. His initial throwing program was paused after he experienced some discomfort in his lat following an April 9 bullpen. E-Rod was moved to the 60-day injured list on April 17. The veteran southpaw threw a bullpen on July 9 and threw a simulated two-inning bullpen and 30 pitches on July 12. The 31-year-old still needs to face live hitters and go on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment, so fantasy managers looking for a streamer in deeper formats probably won't have Rodriguez as an option until mid to late August.
Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez To Throw Bullpens On Saturday
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) and Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) will throw bullpen sessions on Saturday. They will probably each throw another bullpen after that before moving to the next step of facing hitters. "They're both feeling really, really good," Lovullo said. Although Kelly has made just four starts in 2024 due to a right-shoulder strain, he's the more attractive fantasy stash of the two injured D-backs hurlers. However, even without setbacks once he starts a minor-league rehab assignment, we might be looking at a late-August return for the 35-year-old veteran hurler. Rodriguez, 31, hasn't pitched at all for the Snakes this year after suffering a left-lat strain back in spring training. While E-Rod can be serviceable as a matchup-based streamer in deep-mixed leagues, his upside isn't as high as Kelly's.
Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez To Throw Bullpens Again On Friday
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) will both throw bullpen sessions again on Friday. Kelly and Rodriguez also threw bullpens on Tuesday, with it being Kelly's first time throwing off a mound since going on the injured list in mid-April. The 35-year-old is a top-of-the-rotation arm for the D-backs when healthy and was 2-0 with a nice 2.19 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 21 K's in 24 2/3 innings over his first four stars in 2024 before getting hurt. Kelly should be stashed in all fantasy leagues, even though he may not rejoin the rotation until mid-August. Rodriguez, 31, injured his shoulder back in spring training and had a setback along the way, which is why he has yet to pitch in his first year in Arizona. E-Rod is eligible to come off the 60-day IL on July 26 and should be back before Kelly, barring another setback.
Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery To Throw Bullpens
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that starting pitchers Merrill Kelly (shoulder), Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) and Jordan Montgomery (knee) will all throw bullpen sessions on Tuesday. Kelly will be throwing off a mound for the first time since suffering a right-shoulder strain in April. The 35-year-old has the most fantasy appeal of the trio but may not be ready to rejoin Arizona's rotation until late August. E-Rod has yet to make his D-backs debut in 2024 after injuring his left shoulder in spring training. Montgomery is dealing with a right-knee injury and is eligible to come off the IL on Sunday. Depending on how he fares in his bullpen session, he could return before next week's All-Star break. However, the 31-year-old has been a disaster after getting a late start to the season.
Diamondbacks Taking Things Slowly With Eduardo Rodriguez
Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (lat) has started a throwing program and is throwing at 105 feet, but the Diamondbacks are taking things very slowly since his setback last month. Rodriguez's initial throwing program was paused after he experienced some discomfort in his left lat following an April 9 bullpen session. He was moved to the 60-day injured list on April 17. E-Rod was initially removed from a spring training game on March 19 with left-lat tightness, and an MRI exam taken the following day showed the strain. Manager Torey Lovullo said last Wednesday that the 31-year-old southpaw would begin throwing off a mound within the next week, but that has yet to happen. Rodriguez will need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment eventually, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to make his debut with the Snakes until the second half of the season.
Eduardo Rodriguez Close To Starting A Throwing Program
Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) got good news from his MRI exam on Wednesday. His tests showed healing, and it appears that he's close to starting a throwing program, according to manager Torey Lovullo. Rodriguez is probably still a month or so away from a potential return, though. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw was shut down in mid-April with left-shoulder tightness and has yet to make his 2024 debut with the Diamondbacks at this point. E-Rod is making some progress, but he still has a ways to go and can be left to the waiver wire in standard 12-team fantasy leagues for the time being. He had a career-best 3.30 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in his final season with the Detroit Tigers last year, but the underlying numbers show that Rodriguez was a bit fortunate. Along with his injury concerns, Rodriguez is a streamer, at best, in deep-mixed leagues when he returns.
Eduardo Rodriguez Could Resume Throwing Program Soon
Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) will have another MRI exam this week and could start his throwing program shortly after, according to manager Torey Lovullo. "He said he feels great and he's hoping for good news. And once we get that good news, he's going to be full steam ahead getting into a throwing program," Lovullo said. As long as the imaging shows significant healing and Rodriguez is asymptomatic, Lovullo expects a throwing program to begin quickly. The skipper said E-Rod told him he has been pain-free after he was initially shut down from throwing in mid-April due to left-shoulder tightness. It's good news for the 31-year-old veteran southpaw, but he won't be eligible to come off the 60-day injured list until late May and he's going to need a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment before he's able to rejoin Arizona's starting rotation.
Eduardo Rodriguez
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Diamondbacks
