Eduardo Rodriguez's agent unveils hidden realities of being a baseball player's spouse in light of Tigers pitcher's incomplete trade to Dodgers
Detroit Tigers pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez declined a trade offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers due to his desire for stability for his family. His agent cited the impact of trades on a player's personal life as the primary reason for the refusal.
Rodriguez's decision was not based on any dissatisfaction with the team or the West Coast. Instead, it centered around his family's happiness and comfort in Detroit, where he recently signed a five-year, $77 million contract.
Rodriguez's agent, Gene Mato, released a statement explaining the pitcher's reasoning on Wednesday:
"With all of the money, glamour and fame that comes with being a professional athlete there is also a very difficult, personal side. Many players' wives and their children suffer a lot of instability in their lives, especially when their spouses get traded. I do not take that lightly."
Statement from Mato Sports Management pic.twitter.com/FoClZJPnh7
The aftermath of this is that the Tigers respected Eduardo Rodriguez's decision, and the Dodgers quickly moved on. They acquired another left-handed pitcher, Ryan Yarbrough, from the Kansas City Royals.
Eduardo Rodriguez has rejected trades in the past
Eduardo Rodriguez's decision to invoke his no-trade clause and block a potential deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the trade deadline made headlines. It left both teams and fans puzzled, as they had expected Rodriguez to accept the trade and join the Dodgers' World Series quest.
The decision was not unprecedented for Rodriguez, who had previously exercised his no-trade clause during the 2022 season, citing family reasons. This time around, the 30-year-old Southpaw once again emphasized the importance of stability and happiness for his family in explaining his choice to remain with the Tigers.
Throughout his career, Rodriguez has been a consistent and reliable pitcher, contributing to the Boston Red Sox's 2018 World Series victory.
He signed with the Tigers in 2021, and despite Detroit's struggles as a team, Rodriguez was putting up impressive numbers in 2023 (before a finger injury sidelined him in June).
With the Tigers in a rebuilding phase, the Dodgers saw an opportunity to add Rodriguez's talent to bolster their postseason prospects. However, the pitcher's commitment to his family led him to block the trade, emphasizing that his future lies where his loved ones are happy and settled.
Eduardo Rodriguez's decision serves as a reminder that the human element in professional sports can often transcend the game's business side.