As the MLB trade deadline came to a close Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers thought they added yet another talented arm to their rotation. The team was close to acquiring lefty Eduardo Rodriguez from the Detroit Tigers, but ran into a pretty significant problem: Rodriguez didn't want to play for the Dodgers.
Rodriguez nixed the deal, opting to stay in Detroit. The decision raised a few eyebrows among fans. The Tigers are 48-60 entering Wednesday, and have virtually no chance of making a postseason run. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are 60-45, lead the National League West and have one of the best run differentials in baseball. Why would Rodriguez stay with a bad team when he could join a World Series contender?
Rodriguez gave some insight into that decision Wednesday. He cited his family as one of the reasons he wanted to stay in Detroit.
Rodriguez: "It's nothing against the Dodgers or the West Coast or whatever. It's just about the details to go out there and where my family is. My future is where they're happy and I'm happy and that's why I decided to stay here. It has nothing to do with the Dodgers."
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) August 2, 2023
Rodriguez mentioned his family a couple times Wednesday, adding that they feel "happy in Detroit." He also noted he had no ill will toward the Dodgers.
Eduardo Rodriguez has limited no-trade clause
Blocking the deal was within Rodriguez's rights as a player. When he signed his five-year, $77 million deal with the Tigers prior to the 2022 MLB season, Rodriguez received a limited no-trade clause as part of his contract. That no-trade clause allowed Rodriguez to block deals to 10 MLB teams. The Dodgers were, apparently, one of the teams on his no-trade list this season.
As for the specific reason Rodriguez said no, well, he doesn't have to be forthcoming about that. It's possible he didn't want to leave his family for a few months and then try to relocate them to Los Angeles. It's also possible he didn't want to pull his kids out of their school so close to the year starting ... or any other similar personal matter. There are probably multiple reasons Rodriguez valued stability over a new team.
Rodriguez has the ability to opt-out of his contract at the end of the 2023 MLB season and that may have played a role in the decision. If he's planning to opt-out, it's possible he didn't want to spend a few months in Los Angeles before uprooting his life and family again.
Rodriguez did say he believes in what the Tigers are building, and that played a role in him sticking around.
Eduardo Rodriguez on Tigers: "I love the guys here, and I feel like they love me, too. ... I know we have a really good team and we have a really good future over here with the young guys. I want to be part of it and that's why I decided to stay here too."
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) August 2, 2023
Maybe that will change in a few months and Rodriguez will opt-out of his contract. At that point, the Tigers can bring him back on a new deal. Based on his comments Wednesday, Rodriguez appears open to that possibility.
If not, Rodriguez will likely get a multi-year deal from a new team. That would probably require Rodriguez to move his family, but at least he would be promised more than a few months in his new destination.
