Yariel Rodriguez Free Agency: Cuban pitcher holds private workout for Padres and Red Sox

Yariel Rodriguez is on his way to the MLB as he recently held a private workout session, showcasing his skills to representatives from the San Diego Padres and the Boston Red Sox. Both teams are in need of bolstering their pitching staff and will look to offer contracts to the Cuban pitcher.

Rodriguez played in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League for the last three seasons with the Chunichi Dragons. Both parties fell through when the 26-year-old decided to leave the organization after an impressive showing in the World Baseball Classic. He was placed on the restricted before eventually being released in October.

Rodriguez missed out on baseball action for the current year but his statlines are impressive enough to woo MLB teams that are desperate to add a bullpen strength or even a backup starter. In three seasons with the Dragons, the Cuban player pitched a 3.03 ERA with a 25.4% strikeout rate in 175.1 innings.

He impressed the most last season with an ERA of 1.15 in 54.2 innings out of the bullpen with a 27.5% strikeout rate. In the World Baseball Classic, he struck out ten batters, allowing just two runs on five hits in 7.1 innings in his two appearances.

Yariel Rodriguez's team earlier said that they were in contact with fifteen teams who wanted to acquire his services. The Red Sox and Padres were initially not slated to be part of them but were present for the private workout where the righty pitched two innings.

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Possible contract values for Yariel Rodriguez

Yariel Rodriguez is expected to be offered a contract worth $32 million for four years. This seems to be the appropriate amount for the reliever who will be making his Major League debut.

The Red Sox have already shown interest in adding a major name as a starting pitcher and can use Rodriguez as a backup. The Padres, meanwhile, are out of pitching options as a number of players from their staff have headed into free agency.