Francisco Rodriguez: UPI/Bill Greenblatt
The Milwaukee Brewers traded veteran closer Francisco Rodriguez to the Detroit Tigers for 20-year-old minor-league infielder Javier Betancourt and a player to be named later.
Rodriguez is signed through next season and the Tigers will have a club option for 2017. He is set to earn $5.5 million this coming season.
Rodriguez saved 38 games in 40 save opportunities this past season with a 2.21 ERA in 60 appearances. K-Rod is the active saves leader in the majors with 386, which ranks seventh all-time. In 263 games for the Brewers, he was 13-16 with a 2.91 ERA and 95 saves.
In 14 Major League seasons, Rodriguez posted a 2.69 ERA in 859 games with 1,067 strikeouts.
Betancourt played primarily at second base but has also seen limited time at both shortstop and third base. He was rated as Detroit’s number-11 prospect in their farm system and played at high Class A Lakeland of the Florida State League.
Betancourt hit .263 with a .304 on-base percentage and .336 slugging percentage. He homered three times and drove in 48 runs.