Baker Wants Rodriguez, So Long As He's The Old "K-Rod"

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dusty Baker would love for his Washington Nationals to add reliever Francisco Rodriguez — so long as K-Rod can replicate the form that made him a six-time All-Star.

Amid reports Monday that the Nationals may sign the veteran right-hander to a minor league deal, Baker said only that he had taken "calls from various people" about him and that nothing was official.

Does Washington's manager want the 35-year-old for his struggling bullpen?

"It depends if he's still K-Rod," Baker said. "That's what it boils down to. I'll take Sandy Koufax, but he may not be the same Sandy Koufax."

The Nationals could use a steadying presence among their relievers, who entered a game against the Chicago Cubs on Monday with the NL's third-worst ERA at 4.88.

Rodriguez is fourth on the career saves list with 437, but he was released by the Detroit Tigers on Friday after posting a 7.82 ERA in 25 1/3 innings.

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.