Rodriguez had a particularly bad inning against the Orioles on Monday that did not please manager John Farrell, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. "The fourth inning, there were some things inside there, whether it's backing up home plate or just being a little bit more attentive. That's got to be more consistent throughout, particularly as a starting pitcher. Those lapses can come back to bite you," said the manager.
Rodriguez had his worst outing of the spring, allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits and one walk while striking out three over six innings. The defense wasn't great behind him, but the left-hander gave up plenty of loud contact. While it's a minor step back in what has been an encouraging spring training for Rodriguez, fixing a lapse of focus is much easier than something physical.