Yariel Rodriguez: Everything you need to know

The Blue Jays selected Rodriguez's contract from Triple-A Buffalo on Monday. Toronto dropped Rodriguez from its 40-man roster in December, but he'll make his return to the big club after getting off to a strong start to the season with Buffalo. Over 11 appearances at the Triple-A level spanning 13.1 innings, Rodriguez delivered a 2.63 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 25:9 K:BB. He'll provide the Blue Jays with a multi-inning option out of the bullpen, but his usage may be largely limited to lower-leverage spots.

Toronto is planning to call Rodriguez up to the big-league club in the coming days, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports. Rodriguez was effective while with the Blue Jays last season, posting a 3.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 66:34 K:BB while notching three wins, two saves and 14 holds over 73 innings spanning 66 appearances (one start). However, he was released during the offseason, though he ultimately cleared waivers and returned to the organization. Rodriguez has pitched well with Triple-A Buffalo so far in 2026, recording a 2.63 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 25:9 K:BB through 13.2 frames across 11 outings. He's a former starter but seems likely to work out of Toronto's bullpen when he officially joins the team. Rodriguez doesn't have a spot on the 40-man roster, so the Blue Jays will need to make a corresponding move to clear space for him.

The Blue Jays reassigned Rodriguez to minor-league camp Monday. Rodriguez submitted a 3.83 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 87 appearances (22 starts) for Toronto over the past two seasons, but he headed into spring training with a slim chance at winning a spot in Toronto's Opening Day bullpen after he was outrighted off the 40-man roster in December. The 29-year-old righty is expected to work in relief at Triple-A Buffalo to begin the season.