Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Yariel Rodríguez cleared outright waivers and was removed from the club’s 40-man roster, the team announced Saturday.
Rodríguez is still owed approximately $17 million over the next three seasons.
The 28-year-old is due $5 million in 2026 and $6 million in 2027. His contract also includes a $6-million player option or $10-million club option for 2028.
We can deduce a few things from the Yariel move:
1) 29 teams passed on claiming Rodriguez ($17M over next 3 years)
2) Blue Jays would have been OK to see him leave for no return
2) Jays prefer to have Rodriguez off the 40-man, freeing up valuable space for someone else
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 6, 2025
The Cuban swingman will remain in the Blue Jays system and, unless circumstances change, is expected to attend spring training as a non-roster invite to compete for a big-league spot.
Rodríguez appeared in 66 games for the Blue Jays in 2025, posting a 3.08 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 73 innings. He owns a 3.83 ERA and 8.5 K/9 in his two campaigns with the Blue Jays.
The right-hander was left off of Toronto’s World Series roster after he struggled during two appearances in the ALCS.
The move frees up a roster spot for the Blue Jays ahead of Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft.