The Tigers failed to trade Eduardo Rodriguez at the MLB trade deadline. As the story continues to unravel, who is to blame?
In the 11th hour of trade deadline conversations, the Tigers and Dodgers agreed to a deal that would have sent Eduardo Rodriguez to Los Angeles for a package of prospects. The move seemed like a win-win for both sides. Rodriguez would get to pitch for a contender and likely opt out of his contract at the end of the season, thus picking his next destination. Meanwhile, Detroit could cash in on a surprising Rodriguez season.
Yet, it wasn’t meant to be. Recruiting tactics by Rodriguez’s former teammates in Boston fell upon deaf ears.
“I texted him, I don’t care what you do,” Mookie Betts said. “If you come, cool. If you don’t, cool. Our relationship is not based off that. We’ll always be boys. I didn’t give a damn what he did.”
Mookie sure knows how to make a pitcher feel wanted, jeez.
Rodriguez has insisted that he wanted to remain closer to family, which usually resides in Miami. They like spending time in Detroit. It’s tough to blame him for that, especially since Rodriguez took a few months off last season to address family concerns. Clearly, it’s something he takes very seriously.
The Tigers had access to Rodriguez’s contract. They knew of his no-trade list. They should also know their player. So, with that in mind, who’s really to blame for all this disfunction?
Tigers to blame for failed Eduardo Rodriguez trade: Eduardo Rodriguez
We have to start with the obvious. In articles recently published by The Athletic and the Detroit Free-Press, it’s clear Scott Harris and the Tigers front office had some level of expectation that Rodriguez would waive his no-trade clause and accept a deal to Los Angeles. This was loosely based on conversations they had with the player and his representation.
Now, it’s definitely possible they misinterpreted those conversations. Harris is a first-year general manager, after all, but he’s been through the deadline many times before with the San Francisco Giants.
Per Rosenthal, Rodriguez’s agent tried to add more money on the tail end of E-Rod’s contract in exchange for accepting the trade in the first place. That sum was somewhere in the $20 million range, per reports. By the sound of it, Rodriguez was willing to play for the Dodgers if his interests were met, and those interests were at least partially financially-motivated.
Yes, Rodriguez values his family life, but there was a reality in which he would have accepted said trade.