Fernando Rodney
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Fernando Rodney (born March 18, 1977) is a Dominican
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
for the
Toros de Tijuana The Toros de Tijuana (or Tijuana Bulls) are a Mexican Baseball team based in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. They are members of the Mexican Baseball League and play their home games at Estadio Chevron. Team history Original Attempt The fran ...
of the
Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
. He has played in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(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 of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
,
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
,
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
,
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
,
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
,
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
,
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
,
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
,
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
,
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
and
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. Rodney made his MLB debut in MLB in 2002, and joined the 300 save club in 2017. In the 2019 season, following
Ichiro Suzuki , also known mononymously as , is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder who played professionally for 28 seasons. He played nine years of his career with the Orix BlueWave of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), where he began his ...
's retirement, Rodney became the oldest active player in Major League Baseball and was the last player born in the 1970s to play in the Major Leagues. Rodney won a
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
championship with the Nationals in
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
. Rodney is a three-time
MLB All-Star The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
. He won the
MLB Delivery Man of the Year Award Major League Baseball (MLB) annually honored its best relief pitcher with the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award from 2005 through 2013. It was initially part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and package delivery company DH ...
and
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2012. He throws a 95  mph
fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
, and a
palmball In baseball, the palmball pitch is a type of changeup. It requires placing the baseball tightly in the palm or held between the thumb and ring finger and then throwing it as if throwing a fastball. This takes some of the velocity off the pitch, i ...
in the low 80s. Rodney is a cousin of
Alfredo Fígaro Alfredo Fígaro (born July 7, 1984) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball debut on June 20, 2009 with the Detroit Tigers and he also played for the Milwaukee Brewers. Professional career Detroi ...
.


Professional career


Minor leagues

Rodney was signed by 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 of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
as an amateur
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 1997. He spent 1999–2003 in the minor leagues, moving from the
Gulf Coast League The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the lo ...
to the
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
. Rodney underwent
Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
following the 2003 season (which he spent in the minor leagues). He spent the 2004 season recovering and failed to make 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 years ...
roster after 2005
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
.


Detroit Tigers

Rodney made his Major League debut 2002 at the age of 25 and split his time between 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 Mud Hens team has played in ...
and the Tigers from 2002–2005. In 2005, Rodney became the Tigers closer after
Troy Percival Troy Eugene Percival (born August 9, 1969) is an American baseball coach and former professional baseball pitcher. He gained fame as a closer. During a 14-year baseball career spanning from 1995 to 2009, he pitched for four Major League Baseball ...
went down with an arm injury and his replacement,
Kyle Farnsworth Kyle Lynn Farnsworth (born April 14, 1976) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Chicago Cubs (1999–2004), Detroit Tigers (2005, 2008), Atlanta Braves (2005, 2010), New York Yankees (2006–2008), Kansas City Royals (2 ...
, was traded at mid-season to 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 (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. He was called up from Toledo after Farnsworth was traded, then settled into the closer role, earning nine saves in 39 total appearances, during which he racked up a 2.86
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
. When the Tigers signed closer
Todd Jones Todd Barton Jones (born April 24, 1968) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was an effective middle reliever for several teams and also filled the role of closer, most nota ...
during the 2006 off-season, Rodney was reinserted into a middle relief/setup role. Rodney embraced the role as the Tigers proceeded to have their most successful season in recent history. On July 3, 2006, at
McAfee Coliseum Oakland Coliseum, currently branded as RingCentral Coliseum, is a stadium in Oakland, California. It is part of the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Complex, with the adjacent Oakland Arena, near Interstate 880. The Coliseum is the home ba ...
in
Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
,
Justin Verlander Justin Brooks Verlander ( ; born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros. From Manakin-Sabot, ...
,
Joel Zumaya Joel Martin Zumaya (born November 9, 1984) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers from 2006 through 2010. Baseball career Zumaya was drafted out of Bonita Vista High School ...
, and Rodney each threw multiple fastballs clocked in at over 100 mph, becoming the first time in MLB history that three pitchers on the same team had done so during one game. Rodney was part of the 2006 World Series roster—Rodney's first World Series appearance. The Tigers would end up losing the World Series to the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
. Rodney started 2008 on the
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
with
shoulder The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder mak ...
tendinitis Tendinopathy, a type of tendon disorder that results in pain, swelling, and impaired function. The pain is typically worse with movement. It most commonly occurs around the shoulder (rotator cuff tendinitis, biceps tendinitis), elbow (tennis elbo ...
. He re-joined the big league club in mid-June. On July 27, Rodney was announced as the Tigers' new closer, replacing Todd Jones. Rodney was not particularly successful as a closer in 2008, saving only 13 games in 19 opportunities (68%) and pitching to a 4.91 ERA. He was much more reliable in 2009, converting 37 of his 38 save opportunities (97%). He also led the American League with 65 games finished in 2009. Following the 2009 season, the Tigers offered
arbitration Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ' ...
to Rodney, which he rejected to pursue a multi-year deal. He was expected to be one of the more valuable closers on the market because as a "Type B" free agent, he would only cost teams a supplementary draft pick. His 1.40 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio ranked first that year among free-agent closers. Originally, the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles 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) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
and
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
were rumored to be interested in signing Rodney. The
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
were also reported to be in serious discussions with his agent.


Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

On December 24, 2009, Rodney signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
. Although he closed for the Detroit Tigers in 2009, "Rodney is expected to share setup duties with
Scot Shields Robert Scot Shields (born July 22, 1975) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played his entire baseball career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was the last member of the Anaheim ...
and
Kevin Jepsen Kevin Martin Jepsen (born July 26, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers. Professional care ...
and close on a fill-in basis when Brian Fuentes is down", the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' reported. Rodney stated, "I think I'm a different pitcher in save situations", referring to his lower ERA in save situations. He filled in April for Angels' closer
Brian Fuentes Brian Christopher Fuentes (; born August 9, 1975) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Minnesota Twins, Oakland A ...
when he went on the disabled list with a strained back. Three days after the Angels traded Fuentes to the Minnesota Twins on August 27, 2010, it was officially announced that Rodney would be the new closer by manager
Mike Scioscia Michael Lorri Scioscia (, ; born November 27, 1958), nicknamed "Sosh" and "El Jefe", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim / Los Ange ...
. On April 5, 2011, Rodney was replaced by
Jordan Walden Jordan Craig Walden (born November 16, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Atlanta Braves, and St. Louis Cardinals. Early life Walden was born ...
as the full-time closer. In late September 2011, Rodney became frustrated after a lack of relief appearances and asked Angels general manager
Tony Reagins Tony Demetrius Reagins (born March 11, 1967) is a former executive in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Reagins served as the general manager of the Angels from 2007 until his 2011 resignation. The fourth African Americ ...
for a trade.


Tampa Bay Rays

Rodney signed a $1.75 million deal with the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
for the 2012 season. While
Kyle Farnsworth Kyle Lynn Farnsworth (born April 14, 1976) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Chicago Cubs (1999–2004), Detroit Tigers (2005, 2008), Atlanta Braves (2005, 2010), New York Yankees (2006–2008), Kansas City Royals (2 ...
was on the 60-day disabled list, Rodney performed in the closer role and maintained that role after Farnsworth returned from his injury. He was selected on July 6 to participate in his first ever
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
. On that date, he had converted 24 of 25 save opportunities. At the end of the 2012 season, Rodney had converted 48 saves, the second most that season behind Jim Johnson of the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles 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) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
. His 0.60
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
for the season was the lowest by a qualifying relief pitcher in major league history. On October 19, 2012, Rodney was named the
AL Comeback Player of the Year The Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented by Major League Baseball (MLB) to the player who is judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." The award was developed in 2005, as part of a sp ...
and the
Delivery Man of the Year Major League Baseball (MLB) annually honored its best relief pitcher with the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award from 2005 through 2013. It was initially part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and package delivery company DH ...
. During his time with the Rays, Rodney mimed shooting an arrow to high center field after converting a save as his celebration move.


Seattle Mariners

On February 6, 2014, Rodney signed a 2-year, $14 million contract with the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
. After leading the American League in saves in the first half of the season, Rodney was named as a late addition to the AL All-Star team, taking the spot of David Price (who had pitched the Sunday before the game and thus could not pitch in the actual All-Star Game). Rodney finished the 2014 season with an MLB-best 48 saves, which also topped
Kazuhiro Sasaki Kazuhiro "Daimajin" Sasaki (佐々木 主浩 ''Sasaki Kazuhiro'', born February 22, 1968) is a former Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He played his entire NPB career with the Yokohama Taiyo W ...
's 45 saves for a new Mariners franchise record. Rodney was unable to continue his success into 2015, carrying a 5-5 record (with 16 saves in 22 opportunities) and a 5.68 ERA before the Mariners designated him for assignment on August 22.


Chicago Cubs

Rodney was traded to the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
for cash considerations on August 27, 2015. He wore jersey #57, the first time in his career in which he wore a number other than 56. His Cubs debut came on August 28 at Dodger Stadium, where he already blew a save during the season. He pitched a scoreless eighth despite hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch. With the Cubs in 2015, Rodney allowed only one earned run in 12 innings.


San Diego Padres

On February 4, 2016, Rodney signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
. On April 11, 2016, Rodney pitched a scoreless ninth inning to record his first save as a Padre in a win over the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
.


Miami Marlins

Despite going 17-for-17 in save situations and posting a 0.31 ERA for the Padres, Rodney was traded to the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
on June 30, 2016 for
Chris Paddack Christopher Joseph Paddack (born January 8, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his debut in 2019 with the San Diego Padres. During his 2019 season, he earned the nic ...
. He was 2–3 with Miami and pitched to a 5.89 ERA.


Arizona Diamondbacks

On December 9, 2016, Rodney signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. Rodney recorded his first win for the
Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
on opening day and his first save in his next appearance on April 5, 2017. On June 7, Rodney became the 42nd pitcher all-time to finish 500 career games. On September 22, Rodney became the 28th pitcher all-time to record 300 career saves in a victory over the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
.


Minnesota Twins

On December 15, 2017, Rodney signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
. The contract included incentives that could increase the amount to $6 million, as well as a 2019 team option.


Oakland Athletics

On August 9, 2018, the Twins traded Rodney to the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
in exchange for minor league pitcher
Dakota Chalmers Dakota Reid Chalmers (born October 8, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 3rd round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. Career Oakland Athletics Chalmers att ...
. In 22 games for the A's, Rodney served as a setup man. He pitched to a 3.92 ERA in innings. In 2018 he was the third-oldest player in the American League. On May 25, 2019, Rodney was designated for assignment by the Oakland A's. The A's released Rodney three days later. He had a 9.42 ERA in 17 appearances.


Washington Nationals

On June 1, 2019, Rodney signed a minor league contract with the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. On June 25, he was called up to the major leagues. His combined record in 2019 was 0–5 with two saves and a 5.66 ERA in 47.2 innings. He was the second-oldest player in the major leagues, behind
Ichiro Suzuki , also known mononymously as , is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder who played professionally for 28 seasons. He played nine years of his career with the Orix BlueWave of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), where he began his ...
. Rodney became the fourth player to appear in all rounds of the postseason (Wild Card, Division Series, Champion Series, and World Series) in both the AL and NL. He had 6 postseason appearances, 3 of which came in the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
. The Nationals won, giving him his first championship at the age of 42.


Sugar Land Skeeters

On July 18, 2020, Rodney signed on to play for the
Sugar Land Skeeters The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the Greater Houston metr ...
of the
Constellation Energy League The Constellation Energy League was an independent baseball league that operated in Texas during 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions limiting travel, and as a way to create opportunities for minor league players. History The league consisted of ...
(a makeshift 4-team independent league created as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
) for the 2020 season.


Houston Astros

On July 31, 2020, the Astros signed Rodney to a minor league deal. Rodney was released by the Astros on September 2, 2020.


Toros de Tijuana

On March 1, 2021, Rodney signed with the
Toros de Tijuana The Toros de Tijuana (or Tijuana Bulls) are a Mexican Baseball team based in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. They are members of the Mexican Baseball League and play their home games at Estadio Chevron. Team history Original Attempt The fran ...
of the
Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
for the 2021 season. He led the league in saves with 16, won the "Reliever of the Year" award, and saved 9 games in the playoffs to help the Toros win their second
championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...
.


Pitch selection

Rodney has primarily been a fastball-changeup pitcher. He throws both a two-seam sinking fastball averaging 95–96 MPH, and a four seam fastball averaging 96–97 MPH. His fastball has been thrown as high as 101.5 MPH, most recently in 2013. His main offspeed pitch is a
palmball In baseball, the palmball pitch is a type of changeup. It requires placing the baseball tightly in the palm or held between the thumb and ring finger and then throwing it as if throwing a fastball. This takes some of the velocity off the pitch, i ...
-style changeup at about 84 MPH. Opponents have hit the changeup at just a .179 clip over Rodney's career.


Persona


Cap tilt

Rodney is known for wearing his cap tilted at an angle toward the left side of his head. He said in 2016 that it came about as a tribute to his father, Ulise Rodney, who was a fisherman. Ulise also wore his cap tilted to the side because that was the side the sun hit his face. Rodney also said the tilted cap could be confusing for both hitters and baserunners. "The hitter looks for your eyes. It's like a dog. When you go somewhere, the first thing (a dog) looks at is your eyes and how you move."


Bow and arrow routine

Rodney is also known for celebrating a save by pretending to shoot a
bow and arrow The bow and arrow is a ranged weapon system consisting of an elastic launching device (bow) and long-shafted projectiles ( arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for hunting and aggression long before recorded history, and the practice was comm ...
toward the sky, usually at a point high over center field. He started the routine while with the Rays after saving a 1–0 ballgame on April 16, 2012 against their rival, the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. It became his tradition after successfully saving each game that season, and soon involved his Rays teammates. The infielders would approach the mound to watch Rodney shoot the arrow, and first baseman Carlos Pena would ask him where it had gone, with both theatrically pointing off into the distance as if following its flight. In a July 20, 2014 game while pitching for the Seattle Mariners against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels, Rodney did the routine after making the third out to end the eighth inning. However, this time he mimicked shooting the arrow at the Angels dugout. In the ninth inning after walking
Mike Trout Michael Nelson Trout (born August 7, 1991) is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Trout is a ten-time MLB All-Star, three-time American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) ...
on five pitches, Angels player Albert Pujols hit a double, scoring Trout, and mimicked shooting a bow and arrow from second base towards Trout. Trout then "shot an arrow" back at Pujols. The Angels went on to win 6–5 with a walk-off hit by
Grant Green Grant Green (June 6, 1935 – January 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Recording prolifically for Blue Note Records as both leader and sideman, Green performed in the hard bop, soul jazz, bebop, and Latin-tinged idioms ...
the same inning. Mariners broadcaster
Dave Sims David Sims (born February 14, 1953) is an American sportscaster. He currently is the television play-by-play commentator for the Seattle Mariners. Sims was the 2018, 2019 and 2020 National Sports Media Association's Washington state Sportscaster ...
began calling "shoot that arrow in the sky!" when Rodney recorded a save.


Personal life

On June 25, 2018, Rodney became a naturalized United States citizen. Rodney lives in
Pembroke Pines, Florida Pembroke Pines is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is located 22 miles (35 km) north of Miami. The population of Pembroke Pines is 171,178 as of the 2020 census. It is a suburb of and the fourth-most populous c ...
.


See also

*
List of Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic This is an alphabetical list of notable baseball players from the Dominican Republic who have played in Major League Baseball since . Players in bold are still active in MLB, as of 2022. Since 1956 a large number of baseball players of Dominican ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rodney, Fernando 1977 births Living people American League All-Stars American League saves champions American sportspeople of Dominican Republic descent Arizona Diamondbacks players Chicago Cubs players Detroit Tigers players Dominican Republic emigrants to the United States Erie SeaWolves players Gulf Coast Tigers players Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino players Lakeland Tigers players Leones del Escogido players Los Angeles Angels players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic Mexican League baseball pitchers Miami Marlins players Minnesota Twins players National League All-Stars Oakland Athletics players People from Samaná Province San Diego Padres players Seattle Mariners players Sugar Land Skeeters players Tampa Bay Rays players Toledo Mud Hens players Toros de Tijuana players Washington Nationals players West Michigan Whitecaps players World Baseball Classic players of the Dominican Republic 2006 World Baseball Classic players 2013 World Baseball Classic players 2017 World Baseball Classic players Dominican Republic people of African American descent