Initially the Braves hoped to have left-hander Paco Rodriguez in their bullpen during this final month of the season, now they won’t have him until 2017.
Rodriguez had Tommy John elbow surgery at some point in late September and will miss the entire 2016 season. The Braves didn’t make any announcement, but general manager John Coppolella confirmed Friday that Rodriguez had the surgery and would miss all of next season.
The Braves got Rodriguez from the Dodgers along as part of the July 30 three-team, 13-player megadeal that brought Cuban third baseman Hector Olivera to Atlanta from the Dodgers and sent Braves left-handers Alex Wood, Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan to Los Angeles along with top infield prospect Jose Peraza.
Rodriguez, 24, was on the disabled list at the time of the trade, recovering from June surgery to remove bone chips from his pitching elbow. The Braves knew he had a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow, but were confident – based on discussions with doctors – that Rodriguez would not require Tommy John surgery.
A second-round pick out of the University of Florida in 2012, Rodriguez has a 2.53 ERA in 124 appearances over parts of four seasons, with 91 strikeouts and 30 walks in 85 1/3 innings. His career .189 opponents’ average includes .174 by lefties, and he’s under contractual control through the 2019 season.
The Braves also got minor league pitcher Zack Bird in that July 30 trade, but the pitcher they were counting on from the deal was Rodriguez, whom they thought could be a key lefty in an overhauled bullpen in 2016.
