Atlanta Braves claim RHP Dereck Rodriguez off waivers from Twins

The Atlanta Braves have recently made a roster move that could potentially help address their rotation depth concerns: They announced the acquisition of right-handed pitcher Dereck Rodríguez off waivers from the Twins. Rodríguez has been optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, while right-hander Kyle Wright has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to create room on the 40-man roster.

The #Braves today claimed RHP Dereck Rodríguez off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta transferred RHP Kyle Wright to the 60-day injured list.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 15, 2023

The injuries to Max Fried and Kyle Wright have left the Braves with a shortage of starting options: Fried is dealing with a forearm strain and is expected to be shut down for an extended period, potentially sidelining him for a couple of months. Meanwhile, Wright's lingering shoulder issue has him anticipating an even lengthier absence, leading to his placement on the 60-day injured list. He won't be eligible to return until early July, considering his initial IL placement on May 4.

With the rotation in a precarious state, the Braves are currently relying on a core group of Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, and Bryce Elder. While the team does have some depth starters on the 40-man roster, the return of Michael Soroka isn't expected to be imminent. Soroka, who is working to come back from two Achilles ruptures in the last two years, is still working on finding a consistent rhythm at AAA Gwinnett. Despite the recent injuries to Fried and Wright, the club doesn't seem inclined to alter its slow-play of Soroka's return, although they have moved him to a more standard five-day throwing schedule. Other options on the roster include Dylan Dodd and Jared Shuster, but their previous major league outings this year didn't yield impressive results. Furthermore, Ian Anderson underwent Tommy John surgery last month, ruling him out for the rest of the year.

The uncertainty surrounding the pitching staff presents a significant challenge for the Braves over the next few months, which likely prompted their decision to claim Rodríguez. The soon-to-be 31-year-old right-hander had a promising rookie season with the Giants in 2018 but has struggled since then. His debut campaign featured an impressive 2.81 ERA in 118 1/3 innings, but his performance declined with a 5.64 ERA in the following year. Rodríguez has since made sporadic appearances in the majors, with just five games under his belt since 2020.

In the past couple of seasons, Rodríguez has been on and off of the Twins' roster. He joined the club twice in 2022 but was quickly designated for assignment after making a single appearance on both occasions. He re-signed with the organization on a minor league deal this winter and was added to the 40-man roster a couple of weeks ago. After pitching two-thirds of an inning on Friday, he was optioned back to Triple-A. Although it wasn't publicly reported that he was designated for assignment, the Twins apparently tried to pass him through waivers, leading to the Braves' claim.

Before his call-up to the majors this year, Rodríguez pitched for the St. Paul Saints, the Twins' Triple-A affiliate, making seven appearances and recording a 4.66 ERA in 19 1/3 innings. He struck out 23.5% of batters faced while maintaining an 11.8% walk rate. In 2021, he posted a 4.75 ERA with a 22.7% strikeout rate and a 7.9% walk rate over 94 2/3 innings at Triple-A. Rodríguez will now head to Gwinnett, where he will likely compete with Dodd and Shuster for potential roles in the majors in the upcoming months. Despite their recent four-game losing streak, the Braves still hold the top spot in the National League East, although their divisional dominance appears less certain than it did a week ago.

Check out Braves Today on Socials!
Follow Braves Today on Twitter!
Like Braves Today on Facebook!
Check out the homepage for more Atlanta Braves News!
Subscribe to Braves Today on YouTube!
Get Exclusive Braves Merchandise from FOCO