Johnathan Rodríguez is getting another shot to prove he belongs, and this one comes with a little more urgency.
The Orioles called up the former Guardians outfielder on Wednesday after placing catcher Samuel Basallo on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. With All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman already on the injured list, Baltimore suddenly needs Rodríguez to help fill a roster hole while the club tries to claw back into the race ahead of the trade deadline.
Rodríguez’s path to this point has already included one very public stint in Cleveland. Last fall, he was dropped into the middle of the Guardians’ lineup debate when he hit cleanup in their postseason opener against the Tigers. The result was ugly: he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and looked overmatched against Skubal.
That October appearance came after a brief late-season burst that had pushed him into the conversation in the first place. Rodríguez went 5-for-7 with a key home run across the final two series of the season, but his postseason role also underscored how far Cleveland had leaned into the platoon game.
His run with the Guardians ended this spring when Cleveland designated him for assignment to clear room for Rhys Hoskins. Baltimore wasted little time grabbing him off waivers, a move that made sense at the time because the Orioles were led by former Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz.
Rodríguez earned his first Orioles call-up in the middle of April, but it didn’t stick. He went 0-for-7 with an RBI before being sent back to Triple-A.
At Norfolk, he’s kept doing what he’s done best in the minors, hitting .270 with four home runs and 22 RBI in 62 games. The problem is that production still hasn’t carried over to the majors. In 49 games with Cleveland, he posted a .165/.281/.284 slashline.
There is at least one reason Baltimore keeps giving him chances: fifteen of his career hits have come against left-handed pitching. That gives him a slight platoon edge, and the Orioles will likely use him that way.
He’s now part of Baltimore’s right field/designated hitter mix with Dylan Beavers, Leody Taveras, Tyler O’Neill and Colton Cowser. Rodríguez shouldn’t eat up a huge share of the everyday at-bats, but he figures to be in the lineup whenever the Orioles face a left-hander.
The timing matters. Baltimore entered Wednesday four games out of the Wild Card spot, leaving Rodríguez and the rest of the roster with little margin for error as the front office weighs what kind of deadline investment this team deserves.
In Other News...
Guardians Just Caught A Rare Break In Rotation Trade Rumors
Kevin Gausman has at least opened the door on the possibility of leaving Toronto, and that matters in Cleveland because the Guardians are still hunting for help in the rotation. The Blue Jays have underperformed enough this season to make a deadline sell-off feel increasingly plausible, and Gausman stands out as one of the more appealing arms who could be available if Toronto decides to move on.
For the Guardians, the fit is obvious: they need starting pitching, and Gausman would slide into a meaningful role without requiring any contractual workaround on Clevelands side. His no-trade protection gives him control over a handful of destinations, but the Guardians are not among the clubs he can block, which keeps the path at least theoretically clear as the deadline picture starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Just Got A Lululemon Drop Fans Will Definitely Debate
Lululemon is stepping into MLB fandom with a new apparel collection that gives every team its own spin, including the Guardians. The line blends the brands performance-and-lifestyle look with official team branding, and Clevelands version is built around team colors, logos, and the kind of everyday pieces fans can wear beyond the ballpark.
For Guardians followers, the appeal is less about a one-off novelty item and more about how naturally the collection fits into the wardrobe conversation. The drop includes mens apparel and accessories along with cozy layers and lighter essentials, but the full lineup is still broad enough to leave room for debate over which pieces actually feel like a must-have and which ones are more for the diehards. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Fans Have Heard This Deadline Message Before
The Guardians are once again in the familiar spot of weighing deadline upgrades while staying in the thick of a playoff race, and Chris Antonetti is making the same basic point he usually does this time of year: the front office will look for ways to improve, but nothing is promised. Cleveland has kept itself in the hunt, which makes the next few weeks feel important, especially for a club that has already shown it is willing to move when it sees a fit.
What stands out this time is where the need seems clearest. The lineup has been too quiet too often, and a recent extra-innings loss to the Twins, in which Cleveland went 0-for-17 with only three hits, only sharpened that concern. If the Guardians are going to make a move, the offense feels like the obvious place to start, but as always with this front office, the message is to wait and see whether the talks turn into something more concrete. [Read more 🡒]