While the yankees strengthened its bullpen by acquiring the star closer Devin Williams in blockbuster trade With the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, he wasn’t the only reliever recently added to the roster.
According multiple reportsthe Yankees signed the veteran right-hander Wilking Rodriguez to a minor league contract, which includes an invitation to spring training. He’s simply a depth piece for the team, as Rodriguez will turn 35 in March and has barely any Major League experience. He signed a minor league contract with the Yankees in 2022, but was later chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals in the Rule 5 draft.
Rodriguez’s career has been unusual, to say the least. He has spent nearly a dozen seasons at various minor league levels and eight seasons in foreign leagues. He recently pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League and the Mexican League, and between two teams in 2022, he had a 1.78 ERA with a 13.5 K/9 rate in 50.2 innings.
However, his only stint in the majors occurred back in 2014: he appeared in two games and logged a pair of innings for the Kansas City Royals.
The Yankees are banking on tough pitcher Rodriguez, who has been limited to 20 appearances since his strong 2022 campaign due to shoulder issues.