Wandy Rodriguez is a former professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. He was born on January 18, 1979, in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Rodriguez began his professional baseball career in 1999 when he signed with the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent.
Rodriguez made his MLB debut on July 31, 2005, for the Houston Astros. He played for the Astros for nine seasons, from 2005 to 2012, and was a key member of their pitching rotation during that time. He was known for his consistency and durability, as he made at least 30 starts in six of his nine seasons with the Astros.
During his time with the Astros, Rodriguez had a record of 80-84 with an ERA of 4.04. He struck out 1,096 batters in 1,306 innings pitched. He was also a member of the Astros team that reached the World Series in 2005, although they lost to the Chicago White Sox in four games.
In 2012, Rodriguez was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the middle of the season. He finished the season with a combined record of 12-13 and an ERA of 3.76. He pitched well for the Pirates in the second half of the season, helping them reach the playoffs for the first time in over 20 years.
Rodriguez signed a one-year contract with the Pirates for the 2013 season. He had a solid season, going 6-4 with an ERA of 3.59 in 12 starts before being traded to the Texas Rangers in June. He struggled with the Rangers, going 0-2 with an ERA of 5.40 in six starts.
After the 2013 season, Rodriguez became a free agent and signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. He spent the entire 2014 season in the minor leagues before being released by the Royals in August.
Rodriguez signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves in January 2015. He made the Braves' opening day roster but struggled in his first three starts, going 0-2 with an ERA of 6.86. He was placed on the disabled list in April with a shoulder injury and missed the rest of the season.
In November 2015, Rodriguez became a free agent and did not sign with another team. He officially announced his retirement from baseball in February 2016.
Overall, Rodriguez had a solid career in MLB, pitching for 12 seasons and finishing with a record of 97-98 and an ERA of 4.10. He struck out 1,238 batters in 1,522 innings pitched. He was known for his consistency and durability, as he made at least 30 starts in seven of his 12 seasons.
⚾