Fernando Rodney in action with the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball in 2019. (Photo by Erick W. Rasco /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
Former Major League relief pitcher Fernando Rodney, 46, will join the 2022 Serie del Rey champion Leones de Yucatan for the 2023 Liga Mexicana de Beisbol regular season.
Rodney spent 17 seasons in Major League Baseball playing with 11 organizations and was a three-time all-star, a 2019 World Series champion with the Washington Nationals, the 2012 American League Comeback Player of the Year, 2014 American League Saves Leader, and a 2013 World Baseball Classic champion during his long playing career.
Rodney has spent the last two seasons in Mexico playing for Toros de Tijuana. Last season, he went 6-1 out of the bullpen with a 3.00 ERA, appearing in 39 games and pitching 39 innings while recording 30 saves, allowing 32 hits, four home runs, walking 21 batters, and striking out 50.
During the 2021 regular season, Rodney had a 3-0 record with a 1.80 ERA, pitching 30 innings and earning 16 saves in 28 games, allowing 22 hits, walking eight batters, and striking out 40.
Rodney has played in the Liga De Beisbol Profesional de la Republica Dominicana winter league for six seasons with Leones de Escogido and Gigantes de Cibao during his career. Last season was his first year playing with Gigantes, and he appeared in 20 games with a 1.35 ERA out of the bullpen, posting a 1-0 record and pitching 20 innings, allowing 13 hits, walking 11 batters, and striking out 19.
Rodney played the first few games of the LMB season with Diablos Rojos de Mexico, appearing in six games out of the bullpen and throwing 5.2 innings, recording a 6.35 ERA and allowing eight hits, one home run, walking six batters, and striking out six.