McAdam: First spring outing by Eduardo Rodriguez was different this time

Any other year, it would have been the most routine of assignments, one more part of the annual checklist that major league pitchers must meet.

There's little that is more ordinary than a starting pitcher making his first spring training appearance, during which they do little more than get their proverbial work in.

But Friday's outing for Eduardo Rodriguez was anything but routine. Not after Rodriguez missed the entirety of the 2020 season -- first, with a case of COVID-19, and then, more alarmingly, a case of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) that was diagnosed as a potentially deadly side effect.

As recently as last September, Rodriguez wasn't given clearance to do so much as walk outside his house. So this represented so much more than your typical Grapefruit League start.

And, yes, that very much dawned on Rodriguez as he prepared to face the Tampa Bay Rays Friday.

"It felt a little bit different,'' acknowledged Rodriguez. "When I went out to the bullpen and was warming up (prior to the game), I told (catcher Christian Vazquez), 'Bro, I feel chills. I feel all that right now, like I'm making my MLB debut right now.' And he told me, 'No, don't worry - that's part of it.' I feel that every start, but today it was a little more exciting.''



That's perfectly understandable. After all, Rodriguez hadn't been in a competitive setting since last March 11. Before that, Rodriguez last pitched in the regular season in late September of 2019.

Rodriguez turned in a solid outing Friday, going 2.2 innings while allowing a run on two hits, allowing a leadoff homer to start the second inning. When his pitch count began to approach 50 in the top of the third, Cora lifted him to spare him from overwork in his return.

"At the beginning, I wasn't thinking of the result of the game,'' Rodriguez said. "I was just enjoying that I had the opportunity to be back out there. That's what I was thinking of in the first inning when I went out there. When I threw the first couple of pitches, I was thinking of that. Then, as the game went on, I was just throwing the pitches like normal.''

Then again, results weren't of paramount importance Friday. This was more about taking the first step and clearing any mental hurdles that may have been in place after his absence in 2020.

"As soon as I threw the first couple of pitches,'' Rodriguez said, "I realized that everything was normal and I was ready to go.''

For Rodriguez, the outing was a payoff for all the time he put in over the winter. Cleared to begin exercising in the fall, he progressed, bit by bit, throughout the offseason. Each time he worked in the weight room or threw on the side, it was with the goal of being back in uniform, pitching again.

"I was thinking a little bit about that when I first started working out,'' he said. "As I was getting better and better in my workouts, I felt like my body was getting there and I realized I was ready to go.''

To finish the journey was the culmination of all the hard work.

"It means everything,'' he said. "After everything that happened last year -- all the things, the way I was feeling, all the workouts I did in the offseason -- to get out here (felt great). I knew what I was going to do. I knew all my pitches, but I was feeling a little bit like that. After everything I went through, I just feel really happy to be back here. That's one of the things that I can say.''

From here on out he'll continue to build arm strength, with his eye toward the start of the season. As Cora confirmed postgame, Rodriguez is to the point where he can be treated like anyone else, with no precautions necessary.

Assuming no further setbacks, it's a good bet that Rodriguez will be the choice to pitch Opening Day.

"I'm cleared 100 percent,'' boasted Rodriguez. "I went out to the mound three times. I'm clear to do everything, clear to start building up all the way to the season. I'll be ready, 100 percent ready any time they give me the ball. Any game -- one, two, three, four or five, I will be 100 percent.''