Blue Jays' Yariel Rodriguez: Squanders early lead Wednesday

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Rodriguez came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 11-7 loss to the Reds, surrendering five runs on six hits and two walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out six.

The Blue Jays' offense handed Rodriguez a 6-0 lead through three innings, but the right-hander couldn't make it hold up. He got the hook after 87 pitches (51 strikes), and he's failed to complete five innings in three of his last five trips to the mound, stumbling to a 5.75 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 21:10 K:BB through 20.1 innings over that stretch. Toronto came into the season expecting to have to monitor Rodriguez's workload after he didn't pitch at all in 2023 and handled a relief role in Japan the three years prior, and while injuries have limited him to only 80 innings so far in 2024 between Triple-A Buffalo and the majors, he could be running out of gas.