The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly in the lead to sign Cuban pitcher
Yariel Rodriguez, a pitcher from Cuba, is very close to deciding where to sign, and the Toronto Blue Jays are the team that he wants to sign the most.
Source: Yariel Rodríguez, a Cuban pitcher who is set to make a decision about his future, is now being pursued by the Blue Jays, who have the upper hand in the competition.
Since before Rodriguez became a free agent in November of last year, we have been following his progress. The 26-year-old, whose fastball can reach 96 mph, pitched for Team Cuba at the World Baseball Classic this past March. Before traveling to the United States, he performed in Japan and Cuba. Most recently, he was a reliever for the NPB.
If he signs with the Blue Jays, it’s unclear if they see him as a starter or a reliever, but reports from MLBTradeRumors suggest that’s how they see him.
It’s unclear how the Jays will manage signing Rodriguez given that they already have choices for rotation in Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios, Yusei Kikuchi, and Alek Manoah. There have been rumors that the team would trade Manoah, and this might make it possible for them to do so.
In 2023, Toronto returned to the postseason, finishing third in the American League East. The Minnesota Twins swept them in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, their second consecutive season without winning a single postseason game.