JULY 31: The club has announced the signing. Rodney will go to the team’s alternative training site.
JULY 28: The Astros are nearing a deal with veteran right-hander Fernando Rodney, Adam Spolane of SportsRadio 610 in Houston reports. The Octagon client is currently playing for the independent Sugar Land Skeeters, and the Astros have been negotiating a buyout of that arrangement. The deal is till pending a physical for Rodney, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart tweets.
Rodney, now 43 years of age, would join his 12th MLB club if he ultimately gets into a big league game with the Astros. The longtime late-inning reliever split the 2019 season between the A’s and Nationals, struggling with the former but serving as a steadying presence in what had been a tumultuous bullpen with the latter. Rodney has a reputation for making any given appearance a rather adventurous outing, but his overall body of work with the World Champion Nationals was solid. In 33 1/3 frames, he logged a 4.05 ERA with 9.5 K/9, 4.3 BB/9, 0.81 HR/9 and a 48.3 percent ground-ball rate. Rodney’s heater still averaged 94.2 mph with the Nats last year.
The Astros’ bullpen has some notable names at the back of the mix, including Roberto Osuna and Ryan Pressly, but the pitching staff on the whole lacks experience. That’s particularly true with Justin Verlander currently shelved. Other Astros arms on the sidelines include Brad Peacock (shoulder), Austin Pruitt (elbow), Rogelio Armenteros (elbow) and Jose Urquidy (no reason provided). Rodney would add some depth and experience to a pitching staff that right now is carrying an eye-opening seven rookies.
rickoppelt
Gotta be close to the record for most teams played for
mlb1225
Rodney has 11 tems, Edwin Jackson has 14, but I feel like Jackson’s go around of the MLB has a couple of more years left. Jackson is only 36 going on 37, Rodney is 43.
joshua.barron1
Please never retire
throwinched10
We are on two different wavelengths on this one…
geg42
He is the last player in MLB older than me. I am rooting for him. Go old guys.
DarkSide830
Julio Franco probably has another comeback in him
HalosHeavenJJ
don’t discount Albert Pujols. He’s given away his true age a few times.
Ironman_4life
Im 42 also
VegasSDfan
I agree, keep playing. He is entertaining to watch
Wyoming Bison Expansion Team
His new move will be called “banging the trash can” after he saves games.
baseballpun
The Skeeters put him on trash can duty in the hopes of catching the eye of a Houston scout.
99 Captain Judge
“Trash Can Rodney“ needs to straighten out that crooked lopsided hat. It drives me nuts. How old is he now 43? Yes, definitely time to retire… lol
Ducky Buckin Fent
Don’t spend much time on the water do you, @yank4life?
He wears his cap that way as a tribute to his father who was a commercial fisherman in the Dominican Republic. A hat brim – as those of us who *do* spend a lot of time on the water know – can be adjusted to keep the sun out of your eyes. Oftentimes a crooked fashion works best. Fyi.
He’s giving props to his pops.
I think that’s actually pretty cool, man.
99 Captain Judge
Wow, thanks for sharing that info@Ducky Buckin Fent. Never knew that. I’ll think about that when I watch him pitch now. Cool story. I’ll stop making fun of him for that.
Ducky Buckin Fent
No problem, @Yank4life.
Thanks for reading my response.
I’ve always thought it was pretty awesome. What father *wouldn’t* be proud to see his son pitching in MLB and showing his respect to him at the same time?
Ya know?
I grew up boating/waterfowling/fishing on the Atlantic. Live in MN now. Out here we have the Big Muddy, The Red River (which flows South to North!) and Lake Superior (which can be an ill spirited monster).
I totally understand fighting the glare from the sun on the water. Blinding.
Go Yanks!
99 Captain Judge
@DuckyBuckin Fent, Yes, extremely awesome! Very jealous that you grew up boating/waterfowling and fishing on the Atlantic. I get so sea sick unfortunately just looking at the water. I always have. Cool that your able to enjoy the water like that. Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, Let’s Go Yankees!
COLONEL77
JACKSON IS BEING LOOKED AT BY THREE MLB CLUBS PRESENTLY SO MAY BE BACK SOONER THAN LATER.
COLONEL77
Ducky Buckin Fent – MANY SAILORS WEAR THEIR HATS IN EXACTLY SAME MANNER OUT ON OPEN WATER WITH SUN GLINTING OFF AT ANGLES – LEARNED THIS FROM A SENIOR SAILOR OVER 65 YEARS AGO WHEN FIRST STARTED AT SUMMER CAMP AT AGE 8 THEN YEARS LATER WAS AN ALTERNATE IN THE 1976 OLYMPICS.
DrDan75
At least he’s productive and not just hanging on being shellacked every few days, getting opportunities because of the player he used to be.
BidenSniffsLittleGirls
Love how Yankee fans act as though their team wasn’t doing the same thing. Let’s see the memo. Why was the court order necessary to suppress it…. We’ll beat the yanks again this post season either way.
michael serra
actually, I’m pretty sure the Astros were the only team in history to cheat with algorithms.
That’s because your whole organization would have to be in on it. Owners,front office down to bat boys
Pretty sure no other team has been so blatant about cheating. Takes big balls to snub your nose at MLB, it’s history and everyone you cheated out of their entitled spot as legitimate WS winners..
So, you’re obviously wrong to think any team would do that and not be extinguished from the sport – I mean if it had a real commissioner.
Luckily, fake commissioner and covid-19 helped keep the organization from being disolved.. That doesn’t mean they won’t eat some fastballs though.
baseballer20
Good. I get to despise the guy again. I hated it when he was on the A’s!
arc89
The astro fans will get the feeling now. Walk the bases loaded before recording a out. When he is bad its horrible.
PapiElf
I had no idea he was playing for the Sugar Land Skeeters. Nice to see him return.
trace
The Astros if anything are never boring.
metsfan68
Why? Joe sambito, dave smith and billy wagner aren’t around..this guys best days are way behind him
baseballpun
Nobody hits a trashcan like Rodney.
puhl
As long as it leads to wins, bang away!!
mlb1225
Odd to think that Fernando Rodney, when he had that .60 ERA season back in 2012, he was already 35.
astrosfansince1974
Oh Lort
99 Captain Judge
Too bad “Trash can Rodney” can’t start for them for Verlander
astrosfansince1974
Most intelligent comment on this thread
throwinched10
Is Ryan Pressly done for a while?
toooldtocare
Was at Marlins park in ‘16, and Rodney launched a pitch missing batter, catcher, and umpire. Went between the netting and the wall behind the plate and hit seat next to my wife. I told her she should have got in front of it and taken first base on a HBP.
A'sfaninLondonUK
Are you still married?
toooldtocare
Ha…luckily I am, for almost 36 years. Great sense of humor my wife has
BidenSniffsLittleGirls
Great cans on her too
bpskelly
The Fernando Rodney Experience is about to blast off in Houston!
jagonza
Anybody know why he didn’t play pro until age 22
99 Captain Judge
Sounds like he might of been fishing with his Dad for 22 years. I don’t blame him. Sounds fun
MonkeySpanker
He was like watching a slow-motion trainwreck at the Twins. When he was horrible (which was most of the time), you just couldn’t look away.
Eatdust666
Will be interesting to see what he has left.
hallwagner1
He averaged 94 and I even saw him hit 98, 99 a couple times, with movement. He’s still got some in the tank.
dugmet
cannot ever reach lovable Bartolo Colon status.
ChangedName
What a career. The Bartolo Colon of relievers.
EndinStealth
What Bartolo wasnt available?
bayareabenny
During his time with the Mariners, friends called him ‘”Crackerjack Rodney” because you just never knew what you were going to get from him.
Fred McGriff
Love seeing Rodney getting an opportunity, he’s still throwing well enough. Now when will someone dial up Bartolo Colon, some teams need pitching depth and reinforcements. Go Bartolo go.
coachdit
What a special arm. Relievers can usually go up to 3-4 consecutive days in a row pitching. Rodney came out of relief for the Rays 7 days in a row like 5 years ago. The rules just don’t apply to all, he is the anomaly.