Eduardo Rodriguez’s path to his first All-Star selection started with a pitch that caught even his own dugout by surprise.
Back in March, when Arizona manager Torey Lovullo and general manager Mike Hazen were watching Rodriguez pitch for Venezuela, they were mostly focused on something practical: whether he would get the pitch count they wanted so he’d be lined up for the start of the regular season. But in the bottom of the third, Rodriguez dropped a 2-2 changeup to Byron Buxton, and the moment stood out immediately.
"We both commented on the changeup to Buxton," Lovullo said. "It was a pitch that nobody had really seen him throw. I don't think Buxton prepared for it, and when he swung and missed it, I think there was something that was hatched there."
Rodriguez was sharp in that outing, throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings as Venezuela went on to win the WBC title. For the left-hander, it became more than just a strong start - it gave him a jolt of confidence that carried into the season.
"It was just a confidence booster," Kaplan said. “It was a huge start for him and he put his country on his shoulders and did what he needed to do to help them win against a tough lineup.
I felt like it just gave him the confidence to make him feel like he still has everything he needs to have to be successful. It was cool to see the change, the psychological change, and for him to keep that momentum going forward."
That momentum has held. Rodriguez has kept stacking quality outings in the regular season, and the result is his first All-Star nod in his 11th major league season.
"After all these years, it's really special to have the opportunity to finally go to one," Rodriguez said. "I thought I was never going to go to one because I'm usually better in the second half. I'm just really happy about it."
Lovullo said being the one to deliver the news made the moment even better.
"It was a great moment," Lovullo said. "Because I've watched him since he was 19 years old and he was just cutting his teeth, and in no way, shape, or form was he ever thinking about being an All-Star at that time.
I'm just honored that I was the first manager to tell him he gets that nod. I get attached to these guys, and I've known him since 2015-16ish.
I celebrated with him and we had a good moment together."
Rodriguez also said the WBC experience reinforced something important: stay with the plan and don’t let the emotion of the game pull him off course.
"I decided during the WBC that I was going to follow the plan no matter what," Rodriguez said. "I was going to execute the plan and whatever happened would happen, but at least I was following the plan. That's been working for me during the [season], too."
Kaplan views that as Rodriguez trusting his catcher more and leaning into the work done before first pitch. However it’s been framed inside the clubhouse, the formula has worked - and it’s carried Rodriguez all the way to the All-Star Game.
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