Yariel Humberto Rodríguez...Husband to Gabriela and father to Harold Yariel...Was teammates with former Blue Jays prospect Yosver Zulueta in 2017, when they both pitched for Cuba in the Can-Am League...Grew up idolizing fellow Cuban right-hander Vicyohandri Odelin...Signed a five-year, $32 million deal with the Blue Jays on Feb. 9, 2024.
2025
Held hitters to an 86.4 MPH AVG exit velocity, the fifth-best mark among AL pitchers (min. 250 BF), while posting a 35.9% hard-hit rate...Over his last 53 appearances on the year, posted a 2.45 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP while holding hitters to a .182 AVG...Struck out 28.4% of the right-handed batters he faced on the year, while walking just 6.3% (22.1% K-BB rate)...His .176 opponent AVG against right-handed batters was the fifth best mark in the AL (min. 150 BF)...Opponents hit just .134 against his slider with a .177 xBA, a .203 wOBA and a 37.2% whiff rate...Held opponents to a .182 AVG with a .221 wOBA on his splitter...Opponents hit just .136 against him with RISP, the fifth best mark in the AL (min. 75 BF)...With men on base, held opponents to a .157 AVG with a .217 SLG and a .225 wOBA...In 34 appearances at Rogers Centre on the year, posted a 2.25 ERA with a .145 OPP AVG and a 0.92 WHIP...Recorded his first career MLB save on June 11 at STL...Reached 98.9 MPH with his four-seamer on June 6 at MIN, the fastest pitch of his MLB career...Did not allow a run in his 16.2 innings from May 7-June 6 with 17 strikeouts, a 0.48 WHIP and a .100 opponent AVG...His 0.53 ERA in the month of May trailed only teammate Brendon Little (0.00) for the lowest among AL relievers (min. 10 appearances)...On May 22 vs. SD, pitched 1.1 shutout frames with three strikeouts, including punching out Luis Arraez, just the fourth pitcher to strike him out at that time of the season.
2024
Became the 15th Blue Jays rookie in franchise history to make 20+ starts... Made a total of 21 starts on the year, the most by a Blue Jays rookie since Trent Thornton made 29 starts in 2019.....His 8.83 K/9 on the year was the 2nd-highest by a Blue Jays rookie in franchise history, trailing only Alek Manoah (10.24)...Recorded 10 starts this past season allowing one or fewer earned runs, trailing only José Berríos (12) and Kevin Gausman (12) for the most by a Blue Jay... Surrendered two earned runs or fewer in 13 of his 21 outings...Became the first Blue Jay to allow two or fewer earned runs in each of his first five career home starts, allowing 7 ER over 25.1 IP (2.49 ERA) with 24 strikeouts and a 1.11 WHIP...Pitched 5.2 innings of one-run ball on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts on 8/10 vs. OAK…Through his first 5 career starts at home, posted a 2.49 ERA, the fourth-lowest mark in franchise history, trailing only Alek Manoah (1.91), Marcus Stroman (2.20), and Drew Hutchison (2.36)...Held opponents to a .132 AVG in the month of July, the fourth-lowest OPP AVG by a Major League rookie in a single month (min. 5GS) since 1901...Began the game on 7/24 vs. TB with four perfect frames before surrendering a leadoff double to Randy Arozarena to start the fifth inning…Finished the night pitching 5.2 innings of two-run ball, scattering a pair of hits and a walk with six strikeouts...Earned his first career MLB win, on 7/6 at SEA, throwing six innings of one-hit, shutout ball with a pair of walks and six strikeouts...Took the hard-luck loss on 7/1 vs. HOU, tossing a career-high 6.2 innings of one-run ball, scattering two hits and two walks with six strikeouts...Began the game with 4.2 perfect frames...Induced 13 swing-and-misses, the 2nd-most of his career in a single game...In his 6 rehab appearances (five starts), went 0-1 posting a 1.93 ERA (3 ER/14.0 IP) with 10 walks, 23 strikeouts, and a .212 opponent AVG...On the injured list from 4/30-6/20 with thoracic spine inflammation...Made his MLB debut on 4/13 vs. COL, taking a no-decision after pitching 3.2 innings of one-run ball with a pair of walks and six strikeouts...The 6 punchouts are tied for the fifth most by a Cuban-born pitcher in his MLB debut, and the most since José Fernandez’s eight strikeouts on 4/7/13 at NYM...Became the 3rd Cuban-born player to make his MLB debut in a Blue Jays uniform, joining Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (4/20/18 at NYY) and Adeiny Hechavarria (8/4/12 at OAK). The Camaguey native is the second Cuban-born player to ever throw a pitch for Toronto, following Kendrys Morales’ inning of work on 5/20/18 vs. OAK...Began the season at Triple-A Buffalo, pitching 6.1 shutout innings across a pair of starts with three walks, 10 strikeouts, a 0.63 WHIP, and a .050 opponent AVG...Made two starts at Spring Training, allowing a run over five combined innings with three walks, three strikeouts, a 1.00 WHIP and a .133 OPP AVG.
2023
Played for Cuba at the World Baseball Classic, making a pair of starts while allowing two runs over 7.1 combined innings with five hits, six walks and 10 strikeouts...Did not pitch professionally in preparation for a MLB opportunity.
2022
Remained with Chunichi in the 2022 campaign, winning the NPB’s Central League Most Valuable Setup Man Award, after going 6-2 with a 1.15 ERA (7 ER/54.2 IP) across 56 appearances while recording 18 walks and 60 strikeouts.
2021
Spent his second campaign with Chunichi in 2021, pitching in 12 contests in the Central League, recording a 3.65 ERA (25 ER/61.2 IP) with 38 walks and 61 punchouts...Made seven appearances in the Western League posting a 1.64 ERA (6 ER/33.0 IP) with 11 walks and 40 strikeouts.
2020
Signed with the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Professional Baseball League for the 2020 season...Posted a 4.12 ERA (27 ER/59.0 IP) in the NPB Central League across 11 appearances with 21 walks and 67 strikeouts...Made six appearances in the NPB Western League, allowing a run over 22.2 IP while recording eight walks and 18 punchouts...Made three appearances (two starts) for Camaguey in the 2020-21 season, allowing three runs over 14.2 IP.
2019
Spent the 2019-20 season in Camaguey, posting a 3.61 ERA (40 ER/99.2 IP) across 18 appearances (15 starts) while recording 54 walks and 93 strikeouts...Played in the Canadian-American Association Independent League with Cuba for the second time, making three starts allowing five runs (four earned runs) over 12.2 combined innings with six free passes and 19 strikeouts...Pitched for Cuba in the 2019 World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier 12 event, appearing in two contests where he allowed three runs across 5.0 IP with two walks and five strikeouts.
2018
Began the 2018-19 season with Camaguey, making 11 starts posting a 3.10 ERA (24 ER/69.2) while recording 35 walks and 55 punchouts...Spent the rest of the campaign with Gallos de Sancti Spiritus, where he made 10 starts recording a 3.69 ERA (26 ER/63.1 IP) with 31 free passes and 63 strikeouts...Pitched for Cuba once again in 2018-19, making a start in the Caribbean Series where he surrendered a run, two hits, and a walk across 0.1 inning with a strikeout.
2017
Started the 2017-18 season with Camaguey, making nine starts while posting a 2.88 ERA (18 ER/56.1 IP) with 30 walks and 41 strikeouts...Played the remainder of the season with Lenadores de Las Tunas, recording 3.58 ERA (11 ER/27.2 IP) to go along with 19 walks and 11 punchouts...Pitched for Cuba in the 2017 Canadian-American Association Independent League, appearing in eight games and allowing eight runs over 23.0 IP with 15 walks and 22 strikeouts.
2016
Returned to Camaguey for the 2016-17 season, appearing in 22 contests (14 starts) and posting a 3.61 ERA (38 ER/94.2 IP) with 54 walks and 64 strikeouts.
2015
Started his professional career in 2015, in his hometown of Camaguey, in the Cuban National Series...Appeared in 13 games for the Ganaderos de Camaguey during the 2015-16 season, making six starts with a 2.35 ERA (10 ER/38.1IP), eight walks, and 13 strikeouts.
