Despite striking out just one batter, Eduardo Rodriguez pitched seven innings of one-run ball to defeat the Giants on Monday.
One would think for Rodriguez to be 7-1 with a 2.21 ERA while sporting the worst strikeout and walk rates of his career, the left-hander would at least have to be producing an extraordinary amount of soft contact. That’s not what’s happening, though. He gave up 12 hard-hit balls tonight, and his hard hit and barrel rates are about a little higher than his career averages. It just hasn’t mattered for a full three months now. He surrendered three barrels tonight, all of which turned into outs. Two were off the bat off Rafael Devers and would have been homers in 17 and six ballparks, respectively. Rodriguez ranks fifth in the majors in ERA. He’ll take on the Brewers next.
