Yariel Rodriguez was one of the biggest wild cards in free agency.
A starter during his time in the Cuban National Series and World Baseball Classic, Rodriguez had become a dominant reliever in Nippon Professional Baseball. He sat out the 2023 season to be released from his contract with the Chunichi Dragons, defecting to the Dominican Republic to establish residency. Rodriguez had several showcases for major league teams in hopes of earning a contract.
That effort has been rewarded. According to Francys Romero, Rodriguez has an agreement with the Blue Jays. He will take his physical in the next few days to make the deal official.