Sources: Tigers HP / Sponichi / Daily / Sponichi
The Hanshin Tigers officially announced the signing of Dominican infielder Aderlin Rodriguez (30) on June 20. Rodriguez has experience with the Orix Buffaloes (2020), putting up a .218 average with 6 home runs and 25 RBIs in 59 games. He left the team prematurely as an injury (hit by pitch) sidelined him partway through the season. He commented, “I am so happy to have been given this opportunity by the Tigers to come back to Japan and play baseball there. I know the Tigers fans are incredible, and I am excited to play in front of them at Koshien Stadium. I will do my best to help the team win more games. Gambarimasu!”
Rodriguez will wear #91 and earn an estimated ¥33 million ($250,000) for the remainder of this season. Though he has no major league experience, he played in the minors for a number of years and amassed a total of 215 home runs, including 60 over parts of the last 3 seasons in AAA. This season in El Paso (San Diego Padres AAA), he played in 45 games, hitting 12 home runs and racking up 46 RBIs (on a .272 average). Of those 45 games, he played 32 at first base, one at third, and was the DH in the others. He will likely arrive in Japan in early July and could even get called up to the top squad before the all-star break, according to various reports.
On the flip side of that equation, the Tigers’ roster had reached the NPB maximum of 70 with that acquisition (plus the restructuring of Hiroya Shimamoto‘s contract – he is no longer a development player and counts in the total now). In a move to clear up space in case the need arises for another midseason acquisition, the team announced on June 21 that it was placing left-handed pitcher Wei-Yin Chen on waivers. The 36-year-old Taiwanese hurler has been on the farm all season so far, accruing a 3.03 ERA over 7 starts (2 wins, 1 loss). Club president Satoshi Shimamura talked with Chen and they agreed that at present, it was extremely unlikely that Chen would crack the top squad rotation this season. If no NPB team shows interest in him over the next week, he will be released outright and free to seek employment in any league he chooses.
Chen was an outstanding part of the Chunichi Dragons’ rotation until 2011, when he took his talents to the major leagues. Between MLB and NPB, he racked up 96 wins, only one of which came with the Tigers (last year against the Dragons). Shoulder issues limited him to just two top-squad starts in 2021, and he was unable to regain his velocity this year. Despite his hefty price tag, the team has shown appreciation for his veteran presence, work ethic, and ability to help some of the younger players along.