The Arizona Diamondbacks announced they claimed right-hander Chris Rodriguez off waivers on Monday, he’s set to join his new club after being drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in 2016.
Rodriguez was heralded as one of the top arms in the Angels system prior to making his Major League debut, putting himself on the radar among prospect rankings after a few years. However, he dealt with a number of injuries prior to his first taste of MLB.
He missed all of 2018, and nearly all of 2019 rehabbing a back injury, but unfortunately, Rodriguez would require a capsule repair surgery that ended his rookie season.
Rodriguez has been unable to make it back to MLB since, suffering multiple setbacks with the Angels, leading to them placing him on waivers.
Sources: The Arizona Diamondbacks are claiming right-hander Chris Rodriguez from the Los Angeles Angels. Rodriguez, 25, hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2021, but has a live arm and has a 3.64 ERA in 15 major-league appearances.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) October 30, 2023
His most recent action came with Triple-A Salt Lake to test out his shoulder repair, but it was his back that gave him trouble, and he’d since been shut down for the remainder of the season.
The Angels were hopeful that his unbelievable stuff would have an opportunity to stay with the team. By placing him on waivers, the front office understood the risk involved, and the Diamondbacks decided to jump in and take a shot at the 25-year-old.
What Chris Rodriguez brings to the Angels
It’s difficult to say what Rodriguez can still bring to the table in terms of consistency, but his most recent MLB action came in 2021 when he went 2-1 with a 3.64 ERA, 3.14 FIP and 1.45 WHIP in 29.2 innings pitched (15 games, two starts).
Rodriguez possesses a solid four-pitch mix, and he joins a Diamondbacks organization that has done a solid job with how to handle pitchers in recent years.
Make sure to follow Angels Nation on Twitter for all the latest news and updates surrounding the Halos!
