Eduardo Rodríguez has been away from the Tigers for nearly a month, as the club placed the starter on the restricted list on June 13. Detroit announced at the time he was attending to personal matters, which Jon Heyman of the New York Post subsequently reported was a marital concern. There was no timetable for his return at the time, and it seemingly remains up in the air when he’ll be back with the club.
Speaking with reporters this afternoon, Detroit general manager Al Avila stated the team hasn’t heard from Rodríguez recently (link via Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic). “We reached out, but obviously he hasn’t reached out back. We’re just kind of waiting it out,” Avila said. “It is unusual, but we have no choice but to wait it out right now and see how it develops as we move forward.”
Manager A.J. Hinch offered a similar report last week. “From what I know, there’s been no movement whatsoever and no communication,” Hinch said at the time. “We know he’s safe, we know he’s home with his kids, we know he’s back in Florida, but it’s been pretty quiet.”
As part of an aggressive offseason, the Tigers added Rodríguez on a five-year, $77MM free agent contract last November. The deal also affords the southpaw an opportunity to opt-out following the 2023 campaign. He made eight starts over the season’s first couple months, working to a 4.38 ERA through 39 innings. Rodríguez landed on the injured list on May 22 with a ribcage strain; he’d been on a minor league rehab assignment working his way back from the injury at the time he stepped away from the club.
Players on the restricted list are not paid, so Rodríguez is forfeiting salary for any time he spends away from the team. Avila declined to answer when asked if the Tigers would look into the possibility of attempting to void his contract entirely. “I’m not going to get into that at this point. Obviously that’s a situation, it’s a private situation right now on his part. I won’t get into that.“
Gone forever!
Aaron Hernandez
Hope it turns out ok.
Huh
He won’t get into that.
Well it depends on how many wives he’s got.
I hope he’s okay. While in Boston, E-Rod definitely marched to the beat of his own drum, but he always showed up for work and gave his best effort when on the mound. He just didn’t take to coaching all that well (for a couple of years anyways). The fact that he hasn’t spoken to the team in nearly a month is very concerning. Marital troubles can be tough on a player (just ask Ben Zobrist) but it’s not an excuse to go dark on your team. There could be more going on here; I hope the team continues to do wellness checks on him. I also hope he has the support he needs at home from extended family and is not just wallowing alone in his sorrows. That can lead to some very bad outcomes. Get well soon, E-Rod and keep your head up.
Please void his contract. What an idiot throwing away all that money
There’s more to life than baseball. Talk about an idiot, what a stupid take.
I think that’s the point. Lot of trolls don’t have significant others or families, so making a big impact here is pretty much all they got going
@dumpster diving thei So a troll is someone who doesn’t share your or majority opinion? What makes you the arbiter of what’s correct or true?
Every time I check this board, you are on here.
Nice self awareness! Sounds like you are trying to position yourself as superior to feel better about yourself. You have a life, and he doesn’t, right?
Talk about ‘pot calling the kettle black’
The trolling aspect is commenters assuming this player is just being a jerk and completely neglecting the possibility that something very serious is going on in his life. Yes, he still shouldn’t go dark on the team but he’s human. Marital problems could mean anything from simple arguing to a spouse having a terminal illness so a small degree of sensitivity would be nice.
more like the pot pissing all over my black kettle (sorry i had to throw in a tool reference) btw i forgot my pen and sh17 the bed again.. typical
“Sounds like you are trying to position yourself as superior to feel better about yourself”. Does calling someone a clubhouse cancer make you feel better yourself? Do you log off your computer, smug in the belief that “my job is done, I made the world a better place by putting people in their place” on some anonymous message board? Have you actually been in a clubhouse? Have you known anyone that’s had cancer?
Yup, what cosmo2 said.
Where in the post is someone defining someone as a troll for not “sharing your or a majority opinion.” Read the post again. Perhaps more slowly since you sorta kinda blew past the entire point.
Responding to Lloyd Emerson’s “there’s more to life than baseball” and “what a stupid take”. Added. “That’s the point. A troll is someone who doesn’t think about life, as attempting to make a big impact anonymously on a message board is pretty much all they got going”.
No, we are baseball fans not some toolbag fan who left the team with no contact.
Dump that turd and let him sort out his mess by himself.
Hard, I was so happy the Sox let this stiff go. Useless! Such a talent when he actually played. Watching him pitch was painfull. Nibble, nibble, nibble. Never went after the batters aggressively. Good luck to the Tigers.
There may be more to life than baseball, but I have no sympathy for ghosting the employer that signed him to a 77 million contract. Not hard to send a text or pick up a phone. I hope the contract does get voided.
Good thing that a small blurb on a rumor website clearly says the whole story, and that the Tigers definitely have as much info on the situation as you…
You sound like a compassionate person who always gathers the facts before spouting off.
Fact: Tigers signed him to a $77,000,000.00 contract. Fact: Tigers allowed him to leave the team to take care of personal business during the season. Fact: He hasn’t contacted his employer since. Fact: phone, text, zoom, his agent, even public forums like Twitter, are all available to him to communicate with. What facts do you feel need to still be gathered?
He’s obviously been in enough contact for them to know where he is.
I’m an employer and I had to fire someone for not showing up to work for two days, not letting us know she wouldn’t be coming in, and not responding to voicemails, texts, and emails regarding her status. Just saying.
Not even the same thing lol
The facts that need to be gathered are what is actually going on. An important detail.
Wooooooow that’s a horrible take
Hopefully he comes around. When I ghosted on a Job in the past I was in the middle of some horrible mental health issues that went untreated for years
Why would they void his contract? They aren’t paying him. He is obviously having issues. If he gets better and can pitch again then the team will happily have him back.
Right, trying to void the contract could lead to some sort of mediation which could force them to pay something, where if they don’t try and void it they could very well pay nothing.
Ever hear the term “clubhouse cancer”? Unless he’s on an island in the middle of nowhere, there’s no good reason not to respond to the club or at least through your agent.
What a dumb thing to say!
I understand it’s his no business, but no response at all from him? That’s somewhat unprofessional.
*nix that first no
His agent knows nothing?
Where are they?
Which begs the question, does his agent still get his commission for negotiating the contract? I assume he gets his % in annual installments as the contract plays out?
What’s the commission when the contract isn’t being paid because the player doesn’t want to play?
Good Luck Eduardo! Family problems can be tough…..
Talk about his contract and voiding it is unseemly and overly callous at this point. ALL of our concern should be over Eduardo and his well being and the well being of his family. There ARE more important things than baseball.
Not if you choose to blow off your employer for a month, what job would allow that regardless of personal issues?
That’s a great point. This whole situation is strange. Everyone expects Detroit to reach out and make everything better, but if he doesn’t pick up the phone there’s nothing they can do. Where is the agent is a great question.
It’s situational. I’ve personally know of a C-suite exec of a major corporation (which most people would be familiar with) taking months off to go into rehab. And it has happened more than once. Extraordinary talent is very hard to replace and Rodriguez is in the top .00001% of the population, give or take a few zeros.
going to rehab isn’t ghosting your employer…
Um, a lot of jobs allow unpaid leaves for personal and medical reasons.
To be fair, the “leave of absence” isn’t so much the issue as the non contact is. Also, small point but there is a big difference between getting fired from a regular job and one where you are under contract. Small point, big difference, if that makes any sense.
There are far I more Important things than baseball but folks don’t get passes for going blank on their jobs unless they are dead. He’s not getting paid so I guess their is no grievance in a situation like this in sports.
Glad you’ve decided what everyone should be concerned about.
Word, Doc. Simply … word!!
Unseemly and callous? Nice virtue signaling. He’s not reading this article, and if he is, that proves he could respond to the team. So that voids your point either way. You’re always making comments like you have special insight.
Anyone with common sense and a modicum of insight can see he doesn’t want to be here.
If he keeps pitching, he’s stuck here. If he demands a trade, he’s a cancer. If he does nothing, he might get his contract voided and able to sign with another team.
There’s a reason why no contending team outbid the Tigers.
And by the way, I’m an extremely compassionate person, but I know BS when I hear it. I know how to critically think, and understand nuance. I question myself and the world very deeply. I also have the self awareness to understand I could say the popular thing and signal what a great guy I am or I can say the honest thing that people don’t want to hear. Unfortunately, we live in a society where it’s more important to score social capital than stand up for the truth or bother to seek it.
And yet, for all of that, here you are, way up on your high-horse “stand(ing) up for the truth”. Pffft.
Sometimes there’s no one so unwise as the person who (after veeery careful consultation with…himself!) is just sure he’s figured it out – unlike the rest of “society”.
Blech.
If he demands a trade you get every lawyer you have on voiding his contract, no question. But you’re way out on a limb with the speculation here. We really don’t know what is going on. The “anyone can see” comment is way off base.
He’s not getting paid. When he comes back to work, he’ll get paid. Let’s just hope the opt out is both team or player.
Women. The downfall of man since the beginning of time
Well, not sure about Man in general, but I can say they haven’t been very kind to me!! 🙁
If they’re headed for divorce she’s going to take half so he probably doesn’t care about not getting paid at the moment.
That’s kind of a insensitive comment and prenuptial agreements do exist.
Not insensitive at all. Reality.
In high-salaried situations, this is exactly what many will tell you. Directly. It can be a giant part of what goes through their mind and plays into what they are trying to process if the relationship seems irreparable and bitterness and heartbreak takes hold.
Don’t wish that on anybody and hope for his and anyone else’s sake that’s not what’s happening. Sure seems so,
Thank you for policing the comment section to protect ERod’s feelings.
Ok snowflake. How is that insensitive? People get divorced, settlements are made. Is ERod reading this? No. Try a little thinking and common sense.
It’d be kind of weird if he WAS reading this.
According to the article, Hinch said “We know he’s safe, we know he’s home with his kids, we know he’s back in Florida…”
Maybe I’m taking it too literally, but Hinch said “kids,” not “wife” or “family.” Did she abandon her family, leaving E-Rod no choice but to care for his kids? Man, that would be tough. But the agent needs to update the Tigers (but not the public).
Probably reading too far into it.
Maybe it’s not a marital issue, what if the wife is seriously ill, in an accident, on life support?? What if it was multiple family members? Maybe whatever it was that made him leave was/is mentally stressful. Could be grieving.
“which Jon Heyman of the New York Post subsequently reported was a marital concern.”
Seems odd Heyman would report that, then. I don’t see how this would help a Boras client secure more money, so Heyman lying doesn’t make a lot of sense.
I’m not sure trusting Heyman makes a lot of sense either..
Heyman lying doesn’t enter into it. He reported a vague notion that could mean anything. It’s barely possible to be a lie.
Could be. But, he is still required to contact and keep in touch with his employer and answer their inquiries or he could be in breach of his contract.
Or is he in a detox / rehab program
Then his agent should contact the team.
ERod does not live in Florida.
Is he home with his kids
or
In Florida?
Also, divorce laws in other countries are not the same as in the U.S.A.
Hopefully he really is safe, with his kids, and they are safe. Maybe the Tigers heard that from teammates?
But a month without contacting your employer is unprofessional.
I do wonder if the Tigers have at least explored the option of voiding his contract. However, this is a lost season for the Tigers at this point so give him his space and maybe hope for a better next season
Tigers not out of it, actually started hitting, it’s the AL Central
I just don’t get this. They just signed him and he isn’t getting paid while on the restriced list anyway. LAD didn’t void Bauer’s contract, why would DET void E-Rod’s?
LAD didn’t have a choice, as the league stepped in. That hasn’t happened here.
When was the last time a contract actually got voided in MLB?
Why would they void his contract? They aren’t paying him.
Because who wants a player who takes time off and doesn’t communicate with the team? What message does that send to the team? What are you not understanding?
Players Union?
They have the answer to the possibility of canceling a contract in cases like this.
Was thinking the same thing!
Void his contract and let him become a free agent.
Attempting to void his contract could lead to mediation and a settlement whereas if he continues to blow them off they owe him nothing. Probably wise to just wait it out.
For context, so far he’s forfeited around $2.5M and he’s about to forfeit another $1M or so if he skips another pay period for the year, or about $3.5M of his $14M salary.
He’s “only” or already made about $5.833M through the day he went on the restricted list, of his $14M salary for this season.
So if he came back in the next pay period he’d wind up making about $10.5M for the season. Not bad for taking a month and a half off…
That said, if he’s forfeiting all this money and potentially forfeiting the rest of the $8M or so left on this season’s salary or the rest of the 71.7M left overall on the deal, there’s obviously something seriously wrong that may need intervention by someone.
Not because money matters more than other things but giving up on your career at this level is an indicator of something very seriously wrong.
He needs to come off the restricted list by the trade deadline or he forfeits the remaing salary of this season.
…unless the Commissioner approves reinstatement after August 1st.
I’m sorry, but I think it’s naive to think he’s in peril. If he was, I promise you the media would be all over it. When his agent won’t communicate, that should tell you something is up. That, coupled with marital issues coming up the minute he’s set to come back doesn’t add up. Marital issues is pretty vague, and if anything a brake from a spouse would make sense.
Even if things were terrible, he could take 1 minute to text the team.
Detox or in patient rehab
If that were the case, his agent could’ve informed the team.
It’s not naive it’s just resistance to jumping to conclusions that could be somewhat slanderous. You’re probably right in what you’re saying otherwise but we won’t truly know until we know. I see where it’s hard to give him the benefit of the doubt but I’d rather be cautious, seeing no reason to pile on the guy until the story comes out.
There’s a possibility that he’s exploring gender reassignment surgery which would explain why he’s been away for so long.
A greater possibility is that you are an idiot. He should communicate with the Tigers, but owes you (or me) no explanation. Other than that, give the man some space.
What is this theory based on?
It’s not a theory it’s a “possibility”. Also, likely a poor attempt at humor.
Reminds me of when the White Sox “lost” Bartolo Colon years ago, and Ozzie Guillen said something to the effect of “did you check the buffet line?”
Teams generally know more than they put out in public.
The buffet line seemed to serve Bartolo quite well for a very long career.
Hola, es Eduardo. Que Pasa?
Rodriguez is a odd character and baseball players are like the general public and several of them go through divorces or relationship problems throughout a season. If he’s down in Florida there is no reason why he isn’t rehabbing at the Lakeland Tigers complex and dealing with his family issues. The Tigers signed him to be the GUY that helps lead this pitching staff and I think Eduardo realizes that he can’t handle the pressure of that.
My guess is he’s in a rehab or detox program.
Sad.
Anyone giving E-Rod grief for taking this time out to be with his family should think if it was them in that situation. But all the questions about whether the Tigers can void his deal are legit and there is nothing wrong with bringing that up. I know if I left my employer for over a month with no communication back and forth, I would be gone. Why should the same not apply?
Following in the footsteps of Y. Molina
I wonder if it’s the WIFE who is having some sort of serious physical or mental problem and he’s taking care of the kids? Nobody has ever voiced that opinion. Still seems odd there isn’t some family member who could handle that sort of thing . It’s summer so the kids probably aren’t in school so that could also be an issue.
He lives in Venezuela, their school year is opposite of ours. Remember he was late reporting because of VISA issues. If he is with his kids he would be in Venezuela not Florida.
The funny thing is everyone in here is taking this issue so personally like they know exactly what is going on, if they know he is in Florida then clearly they have taps on him. This isn’t the same as your work at Walmart where they fired you for not showing up. He is not getting paid so what’s the big deal? Clearly money isn’t everything for him, something people don’t understand in here.
The big deal is that he made a commitment to the Tigers and he’s putting them in a bind.
Not only are they taking it personally but people are going out of their way like one fatuous poster who’s calling him a “clubhouse cancer”. I’ve got no dog in the fight as I’m not a Tiger or Red Sox fan, and haven’t followed Eduardos career that closely. But a little bit of research in light of all this vitriol paints a much different picture.
1) One of the first to be felled by Covid and one of the worst victims, suffering from a condition known as Myocarditis that was a serious health condition. After missing most of the yr. Returned back and gutted through 170+ innings.
2) Had an emotional moment when he stepped off the mound to allow the crowd in Baltimore pay tribute to Mancini, after returning from cancer then was touched when Mancini acknowledged his serious illness
3) was regarded in the Boston clubhouse as one of the more popular guys for his outgoing, good natured personality
4) upon leaving Boston, left a long note thanking the Boston fans on insta. Comments are about 10 to 1 wishing him luck.
5) earned kudos in the Boston clubhouse for calling out Machado for hypocrisy, and for mocking Carlos Correa.
So 3 weeks of radio silence (admittedly not cool), makes him a clubhouse cancer? Boston fans, want to weigh in here?
@theo now this might be a straw man/tin foil hat theory here, what if both sides are talking but info can’t be made public without a pr nightmare, so they just say we haven’t talked to him, then few weeks after everything thing resolves they tell us we were talking to him but because of legal issues we just said we went dark
Wow the hits just keep coming 4 this Tiger team between injuries and being lost at sea what could possibly happen next..?..? Stay tuned…
It’s mandatory that the teams honor each and every contract; it’s optional if players do.