Francisco 'K-Rod' Rodriguez and the Brewers have agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million deal. It is an incentive-laden deal, as Rodriguez can earn up to an additional $550,000 in performance bonuses. To make room on their 40-man roster, the Brewers designated right handed reliever Donovan Hand for assignment.
Rodriguez pitched parts of three seasons with Milwaukee from 2011-2013. During the 2011 All-Star break, the Brewers acquired then-closer K-Rod from the Mets in exchange for two players to be named. Doug Melvin had been looking to solidify a shaky bullpen and make a playoff push. The results were convincing.
Setting up closer John Axford, Rodriguez went 4-0 with a 1.86 ERA while helping lead Milwaukee to the 2011 NL Central title. In the postseason, Franky allowed one run in five innings of work against Arizona and St. Louis.
K-Rod Holds D'backs in Decisive NLDS Game Five
Following the 2011 season, the Brewers offered salary arbitration to their newly appointed eighth inning man. Many expected Rodriguez to sign elsewhere and reclaim his previous closer role, thus granting Milwaukee a supplemental draft pick.
The free agent reliever instead returned to the Brewers in 2012 on a one-year, $8 million deal. He proved not to be the K-Rod from a year prior, going 2-7 with a 4.38 ERA, his highest in a full season.
Following the 2012 season, Rodriguez once again entered the free agent market. Though it appeared as though ties had been cut, Rodriguez was granted another chance from the Brewers in 2013.
The embattled reliever signed a Minor League deal in mid-April, eventually earning his way to the big leagues. There, Rodriguez redeemed himself, maintaining a 1.09 ERA and saving ten games in place of a struggling John Axford.
In late July, the Brewers traded Rodriguez to Baltimore in exchange for third base prospect Nick Delmonico. K-Rod had mixed results as an orange bird, going 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in a setup role.
In total, Rodriguez has gone 7-8 and saved 13 games while maintaining a 3.15 ERA with the Brewers. He is expected to set up newly appointed closer Jim Henderson, who enjoyed success with Milwaukee in the second half of 2013.
Following a couple of very quiet months on the offseason front, Doug Melvin has made several moves since the change of the calendar year. Though they have received little national recognition, the Milwaukee Brewers certainly expect to compete in a competitive National League Central Division.
Thank you for reading,
Barrel Man
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