Blue Jays' Yariel Rodriguez: Picking up another start

Rodriguez is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Red Sox in Boston.

Rodriguez built up to four innings and 79 pitches over six rehab appearances with Triple-A Buffalo prior to coming off the 15-day injured list this past Friday, but he wasn't able to improve upon that workload in his return to the big club. He needed 52 pitches to record just four outs and took a loss to the Guardians while giving up five runs (four earned) on two hits and three walks in his first start for Toronto since April 29. Rodriguez's abbreviated outing appears to be performance-related rather than the result of him incurring a setback with his spine, but the Blue Jays could still look to keep his workloads in check compared to their other starters in an effort to increase his effectiveness. Bowden Francis ended up piggybacking Rodriguez for 3.2 innings Friday and could be deployed in tandem with him again Wednesday, if Francis isn't needed in relief before then.