As the rest of the league waits for news surrounding Roki Sasaki and his upcoming contract, the Milwaukee Brewers have remained active. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg, the club has signed free agent Elvin Rodriguez to a one-year contract. The corresponding move results in reliever JB Bukauskas being designated for assignment.
Bukauskas, 28, is a former first-round pick of the Houston Astros back in the 2017 MLB Draft. At one point, he was a highly-touted prospect as he rose through their ranks. In the 2018 season, he posted a sparkling 2.14 ERA in 14 starts across a whopping five different minor league levels. His K/9 sat at 10.8 and his stock was through the roof.
As these things so often go, Bukauskas has never quite been able to find that success at the big league level. Since debuting in 2021, he's made 33 relief appearances at the game's highest level, including 11 on the Brewers, and has a 5.04 ERA with a 4.74 FIP.
Since coming over to Milwaukee in the 2023 season, he only surrendered one run in 12 innings (0.75 ERA), so the hope is undoubtedly that he passes through waivers and can be stashed in Triple-A for the upcoming season.
Brewers sign Elvin Rodriguez, DFA JB Bukauskas
Rodriguez comes with a bit of big league experience himself, but he hasn't appeared in a game in the States since a one-game cameo with the Rays back in 2023. He's always been known as a pitcher who has little to no control over his offerings, but a stint in Japan seems to have boosted his stock in a big way.
This past season, Rodriguez was used as a full-time reliever for the first time in his career. He made 49 appearances for Japan's Yakult Swallows, posting a dazzling 1.74 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 26 walks across 88 innings of work. He also earned three saves, his first since the 2016 season in rookie ball.
Notably, the 26-year-old still has two minor league options to his name, so he's not a lock to make the Brewers' Opening Day roster once spring training comes and goes. However, he did more than enough overseas to at least warrant a long look.