Cardinals Hurler Elects Free Agency After Promising Season With St. Louis
The St. Louis Cardinals made an unusual decision last offseason that kicked off one of the more intriguing but ultimately underwhelming storylines of 2023.
St. Louis made waves last winter when they selected right-hander Wilking Rodríguez from the New York Yankees in the most recent Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft. The draft is typically used to poach young overlooked prospects in need of a fresh start but the Cardinals swiped a 34-year-old reliever.
One year later, Rodríguez has elected free agency in lieu of a non-40-man roster spot with Triple-A Memphis, the club announced.
Rodríguez did not have much time to show his ability -- the Venezuelan hurler opened the season on the injured list for a right-shoulder injury that required surgery -- but was able to show off in a few rehab stints to end the season.
Rodríguez posted a 0.00 ERA with six strikeouts, a pair of walks, a .238 batting average against and 1.24 WHIP in 5 2/3 innings for Triple-A Memphis.
It makes sense for Rodríguez to test the waters of free agency but a reunion should not be ruled out. He did enough to earn a minor-league deal in St. Louis. For him, it would be job security for a player who has bounced around various affiliated baseball leagues for the last decade.
That said, Rodríguez's departure will not dismantle the Cardinals' pitching staff. He would have been a solid depth option with upside but it's not like St. Louis had him penciled in as a high-leverage reliever to open the 2024 season.
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