“Rodney played in the big leagues for the last time in 2019 with the Washington Nationals. Will he be able to come back?” Yardbarker said on Tuesday (Korea time). Since his debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2002, Rodney is a veteran bullpen pitcher who played 933 innings in 951 games in 17 Major League seasons and posted 48 wins, 71 losses and 3.80 ERA. Notably, he made 48 saves each in 2012 and 2014. He played in the All Star games four times.
Starting with Detroit, he was a journeyman who moved 11 teams, including the Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics, and Washington. 파워볼사이트
In 2019, his last big league appearance, he recorded three losses and two saves with a 4.05 ERA. In the World Series against Houston, he pitched in three games with a 9.00 ERA, but Washington won the title, putting Rodney on his first career championship ring.
After the end of the season, Rodney appeared in the FA market, but the team he was looking for did not come out. Then, in July that summer, he successfully signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros. However, he was released in September after failing to take the mound in the big league.
Rodney has continued his active career in the Mexican League since then. Last season, he pitched in six games and won two games with a 6.35 ERA.
Rodney told The Athletic’s Sam Blum, “I want to throw until I’m 50. I’m trying hard right now. If I want, I can throw 95, 94, 93, 92 miles (152 km to 148 km). I think I can do it for another three years. I want to experience how I feel by doing it until then.”
“Rodney’s fighting spirit is excellent, but his chances of returning to the big leagues are low. It’s very difficult for a pitcher to come back to the big leagues after such a long time. It doesn’t help that he’s nearing his late 40s. The oldest pitcher last season was Rich Hill, 43.
It is close to impossible, but it is not a 0% chance. Media outlets reported, “It is important to note that Rodney has never stopped pitching. He spent the past few seasons in the Mexican league and also pitched in the Dominican Winter League this winter. As a result, he is not rusty. Maybe a team can invite him to spring training this year because of that.”
“Baseball fans will be rooting for Rodney. It is unlikely that he will return to the big leagues, but it will be great to see the 47-year-old soon achieve his goal. He also said, “I only have to put up three more to surpass Francisco Cordero to become the No. 1 save for the Dominican Republic.”