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Did we tell you the Blue Jays were going to be aggressive this winter?
After signing Shane Bieber (it was up to the player on the heels of his opt-out, but still), Dylan Cease, and Cody Ponce, the club has absolutely no intention of stopping.
Reliever Yariel Rodriguez was removed from the club's 40-man roster (suggesting that something is eventually coming up to clear a spot on this December Saturday) this afternoon.
Francys Romero said it first, and Sportsnet reporters (Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith) confirmed it, as did the club.
Blue Jays are outrighting Yariel Rodriguez off their 40-man roster, sources tell @ShiDavidi & me@francysromeroFR was the first to say Yariel was coming off the 40-man
– Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 6, 2025
Rodriguez signed a free agent contract two years ago (a la Cody Ponce): he wasn't in the Majors, but signed a pretty hefty contract nonetheless.
The difference? In 2023, Rodriguez didn't pitch at all… and Ponce was the MVP in Korea in 2025. So the Blue Jays can hope for the best for the new kid on the block.
Rodriguez still has to earn at least $17.3M over three years… and despite everything, the Blue Jays did it this way. It just goes to show that the club will do anything (especially money) to win.
Now, more than ever, we must expect reinforcements in the bullpen. This was already to be expected, but here's another clue.
Note that the Blue Jays (who no doubt tried to trade him, just as they are doing with Jose Berrios right now) put Rodriguez up for waivers and nobody claimed him. Rodriguez remains in the organization and will be at camp.
But if he wants his place in the Majors, he'll have to earn it – both through his performances and in the 40- and 26-player rosters. So it won't be easy.
Next steps for Yariel Rodriguez:
– he remains in the Blue Jays' organization as of now
– barring a change, he would arrive at spring training and attempt to earn a job like any non-roster player
– if the Blue Jays want to, they can select his contract onto the 40-man roster again
– Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 6, 2025
If not, he'll pitch in the minors in 2026 at a high price, which could have the effect of sending him a good message about his performance. Note that he could still be part of a transaction in the meantime (with a good salary holdback), of course.
In 2024, Rodriguez was in the rotation. By the start of the 2025 season, he had found his place in the bullpen. But by the end of the 2025 season (and playoffs), he had lost his way. That was the end of the road for the man the club refused to use in the World Series.
So the Blue Jays are very serious about getting better, which pleases the club's fans. A good reliever to pitch in the last three innings of a game (along with Jeff Hoffman, Yimi Garcia, and Louis Varland) is to be expected.
Don't forget that the winter meetings get underway on Monday. It's going to be a bumpy ride.
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