Yariel Rodriguez News: Blue Jays place Cuban pitcher on 15-day IL with Thoracic Spine Inflammation

The Toronto Blue Jays' pitching depth has been dealt a blow as Yariel Rodriguez will be sidelined for the foreseeable future. On Tuesday, the club placed the Cuban hurler on the 15-day IL with Thoracic Spine Inflammation. The injury occurred after his start on Monday against the Kansas City Royals, and it is now clear that he will need some time away from the club to recover.

It is a disappointing update for both the player and the club. Yariel Rodriguez has been a key player for the club early on. One of the Toronto Blue Jays' biggest offseason moves, Rodriguez has been providing the team with some important innings as a starter.

"ROSTER MOVES: RHP Yariel Rodríguez (Thoracic Spine Inflammation) placed on 15-day IL, RHP Zach Pop recalled from Triple-A and will be active for tonight’s game" - @BlueJays

In a corresponding move, the Toronto Blue Jays have recalled Zach Pop from Triple-A. Although Rodriguez has not been tearing it up in his first season in the MLB, he has continued to adapt to the major league game. Through 15.1 innings this season, Rodriguez has posted a 4.11 ERA with 16 strikeouts and a 1.761 WHIP.

Although it was a relatively quiet offseason for the Toronto Blue Jays, the club agreed to a five-year, $32,000,000 contract. After some solid seasons in Japan, Rodriguez made the jump to the Toronto Blue Jays during a pivotal year for the club.

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Yariel Rodriguez joins a growing list of injured Blue Jays players

It has been a disappointing start to the season for the Toronto Blue Jays. Currently, the Blue Jays sit fourth in the American League East with a 15-15 record.

The club is now being hit by the injury bug. Rodriguez is just the latest player to be sidelined for the slumping Canadian team.

Yariel Rodriguez now joins the likes of Kevin Kiermaier, Chad Green, Bowden Francis, and Alek Manaoh on the IL. That being said, former All-Star Alek Manoah has continued to progress through his rehab assignment, and Rodriguez's injury could open the door for the pitcher to gain a promotion to the MLB.

"The #BlueJays have placed Yariel Rodríguez on the 15-day IL with thoracic spine inflammation. It was going to take an injury to put Alek Manoah into the conversation. Manoah starts tonight in Triple-A Buffalo, but the Jays also have a chunk of off days to play with soon…" - @KeeganMatheson

It has been a well-documented fall from grace for Alek Manoah, who once looked like one of the best pitchers in the MLB. Following his 2022 season that saw him finish third in Cy Young voting, Manoah has struggled to perform anywhere near that level. If there was a chance for him to make his way back into the fold, Yariel Rodriguez's injury could be it.