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The Arizona Diamondbacks are determined to redeem themselves in the upcoming 2024 season following their World Series loss to the Texas Rangers. In pursuit of this goal, they have signed Venezuelan ace Eduardo Rodriguez from the Detroit Tigers.
Rodriguez started his career with the Boston Red Sox in 2015. After six seasons with the team, he moved to the Tigers on a five-year deal worth $77 million. However, he declined a $49 million option for three years to become a free agent in 2023. The Diamondbacks, the 2023 World Series runner-ups, acquired Rodriguez to a four-year contract worth $80 million, with a vesting option for 2028.
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The addition of Rodriguez has divided D-backs fans on X, formerly Twitter, with some celebrating the new signing and others questioning the club's decision.
"Another overrated player," a fan posted.
The Diamondbacks have strengthened their bullpen with Rodriguez's inclusion. They already have Zac Gallen (a 2023 Cy Young award finalist), Merill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt and Ryan Nelson, making their pitching squad formidable in the upcoming season.
The team beat the LA Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies in the postseason, and Rodriguez's inclusion will undoubtedly improve their chances of winning.
Conversely, Rodriguez has a history of frequent injuries despite having decent statistics. For instance, in 2022, he was absent for almost three months due to a ribcage injury, while in 2023, he missed the entire month of June due to a finger injury.
This injury-proneness has made some Diamondbacks fans concerned. Nevertheless, other fans are happy to have an experienced player like Rodriguez, who maintained a 3.30 ERA in 26 games, pitching 152.2 innings, over Tommy Henry (with a 4.15 ERA in 89 innings) and Zack Davies (with a 7.00 ERA in 82.1 innings).
Arizona Diamondbacks’ sensational performance in 2023
The Arizona Diamondbacks had their best regular season since 2017, winning 84 games while losing 78 games.
Corbin Carron, the D-backs LF, scored the most runs on the team with 116, while Christian Walker recorded the most RBIs with 103, including 33 home runs with a batting average of .285 and a .868 OPS. The 28-year-old ace Zac Gallen led Arizona in the 2023 season with a 3.47 ERA in 210.0 innings and 220 strikeouts in 34 games, making him a Cy Young finalist.
Since their last appearance in the 2017 postseason, the D-backs advanced to the ALDS after winning 2-0 against the Milwaukee Brewers in the AL Wild Card Series, where they arguably pulled off the biggest upset of the year by sweeping the Dodgers 3-0.
The Diamondbacks also stopped the Phillies' revenge plan with a 4-3 victory in the NLCS. However, their winning streak was halted by the Texas Rangers in the World Series, with a 1-4 result, making them the runner-up of the 2023 season.
