SF Giants: Dereck Rodriguez claimed by Tigers after being DFA’d

The SF Giants designated Dereck Rodriguez for assignment and he’s been claimed.

Dereck Rodriguez‘s time with the SF Giants has come to an end not with a bang, but with a whimper as the former breakout star has been claimed off waivers by the Detroit Tigers after being designated for assignment.

The Giants removed Rodriguez from the 40-man roster last week after the 28-year-old struggled in two different stints with the big-league club this season.

Now, Rodriguez will have the opportunity to play for the team that his father, the legendary Ivan Rodriguez, called home for a good portion of his career in the mid-2000s.

A sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in the 2011 MLB Draft, it wasn’t until 2014 that Rodriguez would be converted from his original outfield position to a full-time pitcher.

Unfortunately, his minor-league career stalled as he was never able to reach the majors with the Twins. It wasn’t until he joined the Giants on a minor-league deal in 2018 that he first found success.

Called up in late May, Rodriguez quickly made an impact appearing in 21 games while making 19 starts and finishing with a stellar 2.81 ERA. Rodriguez looked like a potential star in the making and even earned Rookie of the Year consideration.

However, he hasn’t been able to find that same level of success since then.

Dereck Rodriguez’s career with the SF Giants has taken a nosedive since 2018.

Rodriguez struggled throughout 2019 and was sent down to Triple-A Sacramento. And after he was recalled, he would make occasional spot starts and relief appearances, but he clearly wasn’t the same pitcher from the year prior.

The Texas native finished with an ugly 5.64 ERA in 28 appearances (16 starts) and going into 2020, few expected him to return to his pre-2019 glory.

Rodriguez did compete for a roster spot in camp, but ultimately didn’t earn a spot in the rotation. In two separate stints with the big-league club in 2020, Rodriguez allowed six runs in four innings before he was DFA’d.

Given that he found considerable success in the majors just two years ago, it isn’t a huge shock that he was claimed, although the Giants have found moderate success with sneaking players through waivers.

Now, Rodriguez will join the Tigers’ alternate site and look to revitalize his once-promising career.