Elvin Rodriguez Signs with KBO’s Lotte Giants, Looks to Reignite Career Overseas
Elvin Rodriguez is taking his next step in professional baseball-and it’s leading him back overseas. The 27-year-old right-hander has signed with the Lotte Giants of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) for the 2026 season, marking another chapter in a career that’s taken him across multiple continents, organizations, and roles.
Rodriguez, who spent time with the Milwaukee Brewers last season, is no stranger to the grind. He pitched 18.2 innings for Milwaukee in 2025, but the results weren’t what either side had hoped for.
He gave up 18 earned runs on 23 hits, including seven home runs, and finished with an 8.68 ERA. He bounced between the Brewers and their Triple-A affiliate in Nashville, where he posted a 4.25 ERA over 29.2 innings.
It’s been a challenging stretch at the major-league level for Rodriguez, but this move to the KBO is far from a retreat-it’s an opportunity. And for Rodriguez, it’s a path he’s walked before.
From MLB Struggles to a Strong Showing in Japan
Rodriguez’s big-league numbers to date haven’t told the full story of his potential. In 52.2 MLB innings, he’s 0-6 with a 9.40 ERA, allowing 68 hits and 21 home runs. But that’s only part of the resume.
After brief stints with the Tigers in 2022 and the Rays in 2023, Rodriguez took his talents to Japan, where he found new life with the Yakult Swallows. Over the course of the 2024 season, splitting time between the Central and Eastern Leagues, he threw 88 innings and posted a sparkling 1.74 ERA. That stretch was a clear reminder of what he can do when things click-pounding the zone, mixing speeds, and keeping hitters off balance.
That performance overseas helped earn him another shot in the majors with Milwaukee, but the results didn’t carry over. Now, he’s heading to Korea with the goal of finding that rhythm again-and maybe rewriting the next chapter of his MLB story.
A Versatile Arm with a Long Track Record
Rodriguez has logged nearly 700 innings in the minors across nine seasons, putting up a solid 3.95 ERA. He’s been used as both a starter and a reliever, giving teams flexibility with how they deploy him. That kind of versatility is often undervalued, especially for pitchers trying to carve out a role at the highest level.
Originally signed by the Angels in 2015 out of San Cristobal in the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez began his professional journey in the Dominican Summer League. Since then, he’s made stops in multiple organizations-Detroit, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Arizona, and Milwaukee-each providing a different piece of the puzzle.
Now, with a fresh opportunity in the KBO, Rodriguez gets a chance to reset and refine. The KBO has been a springboard for plenty of pitchers in recent years, and Rodriguez will look to follow that same blueprint: dominate overseas, then return to the majors with new momentum.
Familiar Faces in Korea
Rodriguez won’t be the only former MLB player in Lotte’s clubhouse. The Giants also re-signed outfielder Victor Reyes, a former teammate from their shared days in the Tigers organization. Reyes has spent the last two seasons with the Giants after a five-year run in Detroit.
Together, they bring a level of MLB experience that could be valuable both on the field and in the locker room. For Rodriguez, it’s another layer of familiarity as he adjusts to life in the KBO-a league that demands quick adaptation but rewards those who find their groove.
The Road Ahead
For Elvin Rodriguez, this move isn’t just about continuing to play-it’s about proving he still has more to offer. The raw stuff has always been there.
The flashes of dominance in Japan weren’t a fluke. Now, it’s about consistency, confidence, and opportunity.
And in Korea, he just might find the perfect setting to bring it all together.