Rodriguez allowed two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out three over two innings Wednesday against Baltimore.
Rodriguez has been praised often by manager Alex Cora this spring, and the manager isn't putting too much weight on the left-hander's rocky debut. "(He was) okay. Velocity was good," Cora said. "0-2 breaking ball to Sisco. Usually he doesn't make those mistakes against lefties in the season. He gave up some hits with two strikes. Obviously, for his first outing, he's in one piece. So we're good." The left-hander brought out a new slider he's been working on, throwing two of them, one resulting in a Chance Sisco home run. Rodriguez is lined up to be Boston's fifth starter.