The Pittsburgh Pirates picked up outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night for cash considerations, giving them a low-risk look at a player who’s shown promise in the minors.
Both clubs announced the deal after Baltimore designated Rodriguez for assignment last week.
It’s the kind of move that makes sense for Pittsburgh. Rodriguez struggled in his 31 games with Cleveland this past season, hitting just .197 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 77 plate appearances. But his Triple-A numbers tell a different story entirely.
Over four minor league seasons, Rodriguez has posted a solid .295/.386/.508 slash line. That’s a pretty significant gap between his big league and Triple-A production, which happens to be exactly what teams look for in these situations.
The 26-year-old from Puerto Rico also won MVP honors in the Puerto Rican Winter League this past offseason with the Gigantes de Carolina. He managed just two hits in 15 plate appearances during his brief stint with Baltimore.
What makes this work for the Pirates is Rodriguez’s roster flexibility. He’s still optionable, meaning Pittsburgh can keep him in Triple-A while they get a closer look at what they’ve got.
As Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors put it: “For the Bucs, there’s little harm in taking a shot and seeing what happens. He can stay in Triple-A as the club gets a close-up look at him.”
It’s exactly the type of move rebuilding teams should be making – minimal cost, some upside, and the flexibility to develop a player without major league pressure. Rodriguez gets a fresh start with an organization that can afford to be patient.
