Rodriguez feels offseason knee surgery will enable him to pitch with more confidence, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. "I just feel way better now," the left-hander said. "I feel like my kneecap isn't going to pop out anymore. That's a good thing, because I feel comfortable now."
Rodriguez underwent right knee patellofemoral ligament reconstruction surgery last October to fix a problem that resulted in three subluxations in a span of two years. The 24-year-old has hinted at a breakout the last three seasons, but the knee has been a recurring damper and contributed to middling results (19-20, 4.23 ERA). He has the stuff to succeed in MLB -- mid-90s fastball, plus changeup, capable sinker and slider -- and will have the confidence in his right knee to deliver at the back end of the Red Sox's rotation.