Blue Jays acquire RHP José Rodríguez from Dodgers
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Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Ian Finlayson
Sep 1, 2026, 13:58 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays have added potential bullpen help for the stretch run, acquiring right-hander José Rodríguez in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, the team announced. 
The Blue Jays sent Dominican Summer League pitcher Sebastian Rodríguez to the Dodgers in return. The 20-year-old had a 6.00 ERA, 11 strikeouts and three walks over nine innings.
Rodríguez, 25, has a 3.99 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 18 walks over 29.1 innings with the triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, who play in the Pacific Coast League, which is notoriously unfriendly to pitchers. His four-seam fastball averages 96.5 mph; he also throws a change-up, slider and sinker.
Rodríguez will need a 40-man roster spot if the Blue Jays decide to call him up for his major league debut. It appears that he will be ineligible for the Blue Jays roster should they make the postseason, as a player would need to be added to the roster before September 1.
The new righty will now compete with currently rostered lefties Joe Mantiply and Ricky Tiedemann for one of the Blue Jays’ two additional major-league spots now that rosters have expanded to 28 for September.
Listed at 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds, Rodríguez possesses a high 80s changeup that has induced a 68% whiff rate in Triple-A.
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