The Milwaukee Brewers have signed right-handed reduction pitcher Elvin Rodríguez to a serious league deal. The contract is a one-year take care of a membership possibility for the 2026 season. The Brewers designated J.B. Bukauskas for project to make room for Rodríguez on the 40-man roster.
After signing with the Angels as a global free agent in 2014, Rodríguez was traded to the Tigers in 2017 as a part of the Justin Upton commerce. He debuted with the Tigers in 2022, posting a ten.92 ERA in 29 2⁄3 innings as each a starter and a reliever for Detroit. He reappeared within the majors a 12 months later with the Tampa Bay however made only one look for the Rays earlier than being designated for project.
Hoping to revive his profession, Rodríguez signed with the Yakult Swallows of the Nippon Skilled Baseball League in Japan forward of the 2024 season. He posted a 1.74 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP throughout 88 innings for the Swallows, incomes him one other likelihood in MLB with the Brewers.
Though he does have expertise beginning video games, Rodríguez, who depends closely on simply two pitches, joins the Brewers as bullpen depth. He throws a mid-90s fastball that averaged 20.5 inches of induced vertical break in his three-inning outing for the Rays in 2023. This rising impact on his fastball has given Rodríguez an above-average fly ball price all through his time within the minor leagues (47%), that means Rodríguez will profit enormously from the Brewers’ elite outfield protection. His secondary pitch, a slider with above-average motion, not solely provides a change of course, but additionally a major change in velocity. Averaging simply 82 mph, Rodríguez ought to be capable to preserve hitters off-balance with this intriguing two-pitch combine.
Bukauskas and his heavy sinker will head to waivers the place they need to obtain an excessive amount of consideration. Since re-inventing his fastball and ditching his changeup for a slider that performs effectively off of the brand new fastball form, Bukauskas has appeared like a brand new pitcher, and one which could possibly be a precious addition to any main league bullpen. Sadly, an injury-riddled 2024 season prevented Bukauskas from proving himself to the Brewers and now he’ll doubtless discover himself on a brand new workforce in 2025.
On Friday morning, the Brewers additionally confirmed rumors that that they had signed catcher Jorge Alfaro to a minor league take care of an invite to main league spring coaching. Whereas this transfer had been rumored a few week in the past, it was formally confirmed when the Brewers introduced their minor league invitees to large league camp earlier at the moment.
A former high 100 prospect, Alfaro will flip 32 years outdated in June and is coming off of a misplaced season in 2024. After signing with the Cubs as a non-roster invitee final winter, Alfaro was launched earlier than Opening Day and didn’t re-sign with a brand new workforce for the whole thing of the 2024 season. He did take part within the Dominican Winter League this 12 months and slashed .303/.361/.455 in 26 plate appearances.
Alfaro is a bat-first catcher who has been stricken by a excessive strikeout price all through his profession. He’s a mean defender who ought to profit from the Brewers’ capability to develop robust defensive catchers. Alfaro ought to add some competitors to the catching room this spring and function an insurance coverage coverage in case of an damage or because the third catcher on the depth chart if Jeferson Quero exhibits he isn’t fairly prepared for the majors.
In different thrilling roster information, the Brewers have invited 4 of their high 30 MLB Pipeline prospects as non-roster invitees for spring coaching, together with Cooper Pratt (No. 2), Jacob Misiorowski (No. 3), Luis Lara (No. 18), and Craig Yoho (No. 21).
