Elvin Miguel Rodríguez (born March 31, 1998) is a Dominican professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

for the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

, and

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

, and in

Nippon Professional Baseball is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league ...

(NPB) for the

Tokyo Yakult Swallows The Tokyo Yakult Swallows () are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams in Tokyo, the other being the Yomiuri G ...

Career

Los Angeles Angels

Rodríguez signed with the

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...

as an international free agent on July 4, 2014. He spent his professional debut season of 2015 with the

Dominican Summer League Angels The Dominican Summer Angels are a minor league baseball team in the Dominican Summer League. The team plays in the Boca Chica North division and is affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels. History The team came into existence in 1989, and has mostl ...

, going 0–6 with a 4.59 over 51 innings. He split the 2016 season between the DSL and the

Arizona League Angels The Arizona Complex League Angels are a professional baseball team competing as a Rookie-level affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Te ...

, going a combined 4–2 with a 1.53 ERA over innings. He split the 2017 season between the

Orem Owlz The Orem Owlz were a Minor League Baseball team located in Orem, Utah, United States, from 2001 to 2020. The team competed in the Pioneer League as a Rookie League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The Owlz played their home games at Home o ...

and the

Burlington Bees The Burlington Bees are a collegiate summer baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Burlington, Iowa, and have played their home games at Community Field since 1947. Founded in 1889, the Bees played in Minor League Baseball' ...

, going a combined 5–3 with a 2.91 ERA over 68 innings. He was named the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year.

Detroit Tigers

On September 15, 2017, the Angels sent Rodríguez to the

as the

player to be named later In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...

in the trade that sent

Justin Upton Justin Irvin Upton (born August 25, 1987) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Nicknamed "J-Up", he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, Los Angel ...

to the Angels. Rodríguez spent the 2018 season with the

West Michigan Whitecaps The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids, and play their home games at LMCU Ballpar ...

, going 8–7 with a 3.34 ERA over innings. He spent the 2019 season with the

Lakeland Flying Tigers The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Lakeland, Florida, and play their home games at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. ...

, going 11–9 with a 3.77 ERA over innings. He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the

Minor League Baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...

season because of the

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. On November 8, 2021, the Tigers purchased Rodríguez's contract, adding him to their

40-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...

. Rodríguez made the Tigers'

Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent year ...

roster for the 2022 season. He made his MLB debut on April 10, 2022, pitching in relief against the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

. On the season, he made seven appearances for the Tigers (five of them starts), and scuffled to an 0–4 record and 10.62 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 29.2 innings pitched. On November 10, Rodríguez was removed from the

and sent outright to the Triple–A

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the ...

. He elected free agency the same day.

Tampa Bay Rays

On January 18, 2023, Rodríguez signed a minor league contract with the

organization. In 10 starts for the Triple–A

Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened ...

, he registered a 3.40 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 45.0 innings of work. On July 7, the Rays selected Rodríguez's contract, adding him to the active roster. He tossed perfect innings against the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

that night in his season debut. The following day, Rodríguez was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...

after it was revealed he had agreed to a deal with a Japanese team earlier in the week. On July 9, Rodríguez was released by the Rays.

Tokyo Yakult Swallows

On July 13, 2023, Rodríguez signed with the

(NPB). In 7 games for Tokyo, he posted a 1–5 record and 4.09 ERA with 23 strikeouts across 33 innings of work. On November 28, 2023, Rodríguez re-signed with the Swallows on a one-year contract worth $750,000 for the 2024 season. He made 32 appearances for the Swallows in 2024, compiling a 1–1 record and 1.80 ERA with 44 strikeouts across 45 innings pitched. On November 21, 2024, Rodríguez and the Swallows parted ways, making him a free agent.

Milwaukee Brewers

On January 17, 2025, Rodríguez signed a one-year contract with the

that included a club option for the 2026 season. In six appearances (two starts) for Milwaukee, he struggled to an 0-2 record and 8.68 ERA with 17 strikeouts across innings pitched. Rodríguez was designated for assignment by the Brewers on July 9.

Baltimore Orioles

On July 16, 2025, Rodríguez was claimed off waivers by the

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodríguez, Elvin 1998 births Living people Arizona League Angels players Baseball players from San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic Burlington Bees players Detroit Tigers players Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Japan Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States Dominican Summer League Angels players Durham Bulls players Erie SeaWolves players Florida Complex League Rays players Lakeland Flying Tigers players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic Milwaukee Brewers players Nashville Sounds players Orem Owlz players Tampa Bay Rays players Tigres del Licey players Toledo Mud Hens players Tokyo Yakult Swallows players West Michigan Whitecaps players 21st-century Dominican Republic sportsmen