After missing all of 2020 due to myocarditis, Eduardo Rodriguez’ results on the mound has not been what he’s looking for. Monday’s loss put Rodriguez’ ERA in the month of May at 7.22 through six starts, and his season ERA at 5.64 through ten starts.
Just those numbers alone will tell you that the left-hander’s not getting the results he would like to be getting, but certain metrics will tell you that Rodriguez doesn’t deserve the results he has been getting this season.
For starters, in comparison to his season ERA, 5.64, the 28-year old’s xERA (expected ERA) is 2.93, which ranks in the 83rd percentile of the entire Major Leagues.
If we go back to 2019, where he had his best season posting a 3.81 ERA. His xERA stood at 3.51, putting him in the 79th percentile.
Hitters have a .358 wOBA (weighted on-base percentage) against Rodriguez, but just a .273 xwOBA which ranks in the 82nd percentile of the MLB. Hitters also have a mark of a .296 batting average against the lefty – but his opponents’ mark .224 xBA ranks him in the 64th percentile of the MLB.
Even if we want to revert back to more simple stats, the Venezuelan-born southpaw is striking out batters at an immense rate, 25.6% of the time putting him in the 61st percentile. That’s in comparison to his great season back in 2019, where he fanned batters 24.8% of the time which also coincidentally put him in the 61st percentile.
Rodriguez struggled mightily with walks in 2019, but he’s improved that in 2021 at an alarming rate – he’s walked batters just 5.7% of the time, which puts him the 84th percentile. Compare that to 8.7% in 2019, which put him in just the 39th percentile of the league.
Something that E-Rod did very well in 2019, was limit hard-hit balls. He’s done a very good job of doing that this season too, ranking in the 71st percentile of hitters hard-hit percentage, and coincidentally the 71st percentile of hitters average exit velocity versus the left-hander.
Eduardo Rodriguez looks to change his recent woes tonight, as the Red Sox and Eduardo Rodriguez take on the Yankees at 7:15 PM EST.