The Blue Jays have outrighted Yariel Rodriguez from their 40-man roster. Sportsnet reporters Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi confirmed the move, following earlier reporting by Francys Romero that Rodriguez was designated for assignment. The latest update clarifies that Rodriguez was not DFA’d, but has cleared waivers outright.
At this point, there’s no clear link to any imminent roster change. Toronto currently has 38 players on its 40-man roster, and the anticipated addition of Cody Ponce under a three-year deal hasn’t been officially announced yet. Once that contract is finalized, the Jays would still hold two vacancies on the 40-man, with Rodriguez seemingly in the process of exiting.
The move is somewhat surprising given Rodriguez’s performance in 2025. He posted a 3.08 ERA across 73 innings out of the bullpen and handled high-leverage duties earlier in the season. He was included on the Blue Jays’ rosters for both the ALDS and ALCS, yielding three earned runs over 2 2/3 innings, and he did not make the World Series roster.
Looking at the bigger picture, the 3.08 ERA in 2025 marked an improvement over his 2024 showing (4.47 ERA over 86 2/3 innings as a starter). However, deeper statistics tell a different story: his strikeout rate dropped from 22.1% to 21.1%, and his walk rate rose from 11.4% to around 12%. A notable discrepancy exists between his 3.08 ERA and a 4.27 SIERA in 2025, with favorable results partly aided by a .228 BABIP and a strong strand rate, contributing to a lower than typical run environment for his peripheral metrics.
Between two seasons of middling strikeout totals and higher walk numbers, Toronto appears ready to move on from Rodriguez after he signed a five-year, $32 million free-agent deal. There remains $17.3 million on the contract, distributed as $5 million in 2026, $6 million in 2027, and then a $6 million player option for 2028 (or a potential opt-out) paired with a $10.3 million club option if the Jays choose to retain him for the 2028 season.
More updates to come as the situation develops.
