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The Toronto Blue Jays called back Cuban right-handed pitcher Yariel Rodríguez to the Major Leagues, as reported this Sunday by sports journalist Francys Romero.
Rodríguez is expected to join the team tomorrow (Monday), although it is still unknown when he will officially be activated on the roster.
The return is supported by solid numbers in Triple-A Buffalo: 2.63 ERA, 25 strikeouts in 13.2 innings pitched over 11 outings. "Yariel is back where he belongs," wrote Romero in announcing the news.
Since Rodríguez is not listed on Toronto's 40-man roster, the organization will need to make a corresponding move to activate him.
The road back was not easy. In December 2025, despite a solid season as a reliever, Toronto removed Yariel Rodríguez from the 40-man roster and designated him for assignment. He went through waivers unclaimed and returned to the organization without guarantees.
In the spring of 2026, Yariel Rodríguez was excluded from Opening Day and was assigned to Triple-A Buffalo on March 27.
Instead of giving up, the player from Havana took advantage of his time in the minors to develop a new splitter that resulted in a 40% swing-and-miss rate, and he recorded a swinging strike rate of 21.7%, the second highest among minor league pitchers during that period.
On April 8, Yariel Rodríguez delivered a solid outing in Triple-A with six strikeouts in 2.1 innings, reaching 96.2 mph with his fastball and generating 11 missed swings.
In the 2025 season, Rodríguez was a key part of Toronto's bullpen: a 3.08 ERA, 66 strikeouts, and a 1.15 WHIP over 73 innings and 66 appearances, with two saves and 14 holds. He was part of the team that led the Blue Jays to the playoffs of the American League, although he faced challenges in the postseason with a 10.13 ERA in four outings.
Born on June 20, 1996, in Havana, Rodríguez shone earlier in the Japanese professional league with the Chunichi Dragons between 2021 and 2023, where he recorded a 1.79 ERA over two seasons. He defected from the Cuban national team in March 2023 during the World Baseball Classic in Taipei and signed with Toronto in 2024 for five years and 32 million dollars.
In January 2026, Toronto greenlit Yariel Rodríguez to represent Cuba in the 2026 World Baseball Classic as a reliever. His contract guarantees five million dollars in 2026, six million in 2027, and includes options for 2028, making his situation within the organization a matter of significant interest both sportively and economically.
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