Wilson to close for Tigers as Rodriguez struggles
Francisco Rodriguez was among the last Detroit Tigers to arrive at Chase Field on Tuesday afternoon.
He walked into the visitors clubhouse shortly after 3 p.m. wearing all white, sunglasses and a backpack. Shortly thereafter, he was pulled into manager Brad Ausmus’ office to hear he had been removed from the closer’s role.
In an unsurprising move, given Rodriguez’s seasonlong struggles — exacerbated over the weekend with back-to-back blown saves against the Oakland Athletics — Ausmus removed Rodriguez from the role, substituting him with lefthander Justin Wilson.
“It wasn’t an easy decision in the sense that Frankie’s got a long track record. He’s one of the best closers in the history of the game, over 400 saves,” Ausmus said. “It’s not easy to tell a guy that’s been so good for so long that you’re taking him out of that role for the time being.”
Rodriguez, 35, entered Tuesday fourth all time with 437 saves over 16 seasons. He has struggled this season, though, showing diminished stuff and blowing saves in four of 11 opportu- nities. He had an 8.49 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP (walks plus hits allowed per inning pitched).
“He was great,” Ausmus said about his discussion with Rodriguez. “Couldn’t have been more professional. He’s very accountable. He understands that he hasn’t pitched the way he’s accustomed to, so he took it as well as can be expected. He’s an old school, blue-collar-type pitcher. He handled it extremely well.”
Ausmus turning to Wilson was a no-brainer in his mind.
“He’s been our best pitcher,” he said. “There’s no two ways about it. He was the guy.”
Wilson entered Tuesday with a 1.32 ERA, a 0.59 WHIP and 22 strikeouts with four walks in 132⁄3 innings. He has two career saves.
“I’m excited,” Wilson said. “Fortunate for the opportunity, but it comes at a time when one of my brothers down there is struggling. Frankie’s done an unbelievable job with all of us down there, and I just want to see him right. But for the time being, just give it what I got in the ninth and have some fun with it.”
Since Rodriguez arrived in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers two offseasons ago, he has mentored the team’s younger relievers. In 2016, he converted 44 of 49 save chances. The situation, while not intended to be temporary, could change if Wilson struggles in his role and Rodriguez reclaims his All-Star form.
“This may not be a permanent change if things go back,” Ausmus said. “Things could turn around. I hope Justin Wilson does a great job as closer, but things could go back to the way they were if Frankie reclaims his form.”
Ausmus said Rodriguez would work with pitching coach Rich Dubee to try to find the lost command on his pitches and would pitch in low-leverage situations for the time being. With his fastball into the upper-80smph range, Rodriguez has primarily leaned on his changeup this season, without good results.
“I’d like to get him in some softer situations to start, just because I want him to be working on something and not be too concerned with the results,” Ausmus said. “Just get him better and get him back to where he was.”
Whether he can get back to the pitcher he once was — one of the most consistent closers of this generation, saving 40-plus games six times — remains to be seen. But he will have to get there by pitching outside of the closer’s role.