Diamondbacks' Eduardo Rodriguez Has a Chance to Flip Ugly Narrative

The Arizona Diamondbacks are going to need some production out of veteran left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, sooner than later.

Rodriguez is entering the third year of a four-year, $80 million deal he signed ahead of 2024. He was not brought on to be an ace, but rather to bring veteran stability to the D-backs' rotation after posting a career year in Detroit during the 2023 season.

The results have not yet begun to show to that degree. An article from Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly listed Rodriguez as the worst-value contract on Arizona's roster.

"Eduardo Rodríguez's tenure in Phoenix has been a disaster to this point," Kelly wrote.

"With Corbin Burnes still recovering from Tommy John surgery and Merrill Kelly dealing with back tightness, the Snakes could use a bounce-back season from Rodríguez in 2026. It's unclear whether they'll get that."

Arizona Diamondbacks' Eduardo Rodriguez Has Chance to Flip Narrative

Sep 27, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) delivers during the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

For as negative as the outlook is at the moment, there's reason to believe Rodriguez has never had a chance to put his best foot forward in Arizona.

The injury (which was a significant shoulder strain), completely prevented him from getting into a rhythm in 2024.

2025 was not much better, albeit with flashes of excellence in between rougher results. Rodriguez himself told reporters after his first Cactus League start this spring that his weight last season was a factor, and that he has slimmed down nearly 25 pounds from where he weighed in before 2025.

"To be honest with you, last year, after my first start of the season, I was 256, something like that," he said before leaving for the WBC. "I can feel it on the mound."

"Right now I'm 232, so I want to get a little bit like 225, 226. I feel great with that, so that's my goal right now," he said.

Rodriguez showed increased fastball velocity in his Cactus League start, and has also been working on a curveball, dialing his traditional slider shape into more of a 12-6 offering.

"I started using more [curveballs] during the [2025] season, like August to the last games of the season. ... This year we're working on getting more like a true curveball rather than... a sweeper or slider and that's what we were really working on today."

The Diamondbacks do not need an elite season out of Rodriguez, but mid-rotation stability from their lone left-handed starter would be much-welcomed. As negative as the results may have been the past two seasons, there's reason to believe Rodriguez is in line for a bounce-back in 2026.