Francisco Rodriguez (K-Rod) Joins Hagerstown Suns

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - The Hagerstown Suns, Class A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, announce former Major League closer and single-season saves record holder Francisco Rodriguez (a.k.a. K-Rod) will join the Suns roster on Wednesday and is scheduled to pitch during Thursday's game against the Charleston RiverDogs at Municipal Stadium with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.
Rodriguez signed a Minor League deal with the Nationals on July 5 after beginning the season with the Detroit Tigers. He picked up seven saves in 25 1/3 innings with a 7.82 ERA for the Tigers this season after recording 44 saves for Detroit in 2016. Rodriguez sits fourth on the MLB all-time saves list (437) behind only Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601), and Lee Smith (478). K-Rod set the MLB single-season saves record for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim with 62 saves in 76 games during the 2008 season. K-Rod was a three-time MLB season saves leader and a six-time MLB All-Star.
The 35-year-old, right-handed reliever from Caracas, Venezuela burst onto the MLB scene during the Angel's World Series championship run in 2002 at age 20, making him the youngest pitcher in the AL that season. He pitched for the Angels (2002-08), New York Mets (2009-11), Milwaukee Brewers (2011-13, 2014-15), Baltimore Orioles (2013), and Detroit Tigers (2016-17). K-Rod pitched in three games for the Harrisburg Senators (Double-A) and one game for the Potomac Nationals (A-Advanced) before joining the Suns on Wednesday.
In corresponding moves, the Suns placed left-handed starter McKenzie Mills on the Temporarily Inactive List and catcher Jakson Reetz is promoted to Potomac (A-Advanced). Additionally, right-handed reliever Jacob Howell is placed on the seven-day Disabled List, catcher Adderling Ruiz is activated from the Disabled List, and right-handed starter Weston Davis is added to the Suns roster from the Auburn Doubledays (A-Short).
Mills currently leads the South Atlantic League with 11 wins this season. The 21-year-old from Marietta, Georgia also leads the SAL with 105 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings and currently boasts a WHIP of 0.91 that's fourth-best in the league and .198 batting average against that's third-best among all SAL pitchers. The Nationals selected Mills in the 18th round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Sprayberry High School. Mills was named an SAL All-Star and struck out a career-best 10 batters in each of his last two starts. He's currently riding a seven-game win streak.
Reetz is ranked among the top 20 Nationals prospects by MLB Pipeline and is heading to the A-Advanced Carolina League for the first time after starting 36 games at catcher for the Suns while batting .238 with two home runs, seven doubles, and 38 RBI in 37 games for the Suns this season. The 21-year-old catcher was selected in the third round of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft from Norris High School in Firth, Nebraska.
Howell moves to the Disabled List after joining the Suns from Extended Spring Training on June 8. The 21-year-old from Orange, Texas has an 0-1 record with a 9.72 ERA in 8 1/3 innings out of the Suns bullpen this season. Howell played his college baseball at Delta State in Mississippi before the Nationals drafted him in the 21st round of last year's draft. He went 1-1 with a 4.57 ERA in 21 2/3 relief innings for the Suns last season after pitching two games in Auburn and one game for the Gulf Coast League Nationals.
Ruiz is activated for the first time this season. The 26-year-old catcher from the Dominican Republic played nine games with the Suns last year and batted .138 with six RBI in nine games and caught one game for the P-Nats on September 5. Ruiz also played three games for the Suns in 2015.
Davis returns to the starting rotation in Hagerstown after making two starts for the Suns on April 9 and April 15. He posted an 0-2 record with a 5.73 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 22 innings. The 21-year-old righty moved to the Disabled List on April 17 and began his rehab with the GCL Nationals on June 27. He pitched twice for Auburn on July 2 and July 8, combining for nine shutout innings with eight strikeouts. Davis was an 11th round pick by the Nationals in 2014 out of Manatee High School in Bradenton, Florida.
Hagerstown currently leads the SAL Northern Division second-half standings with an 11-6 record since the All-Star Break. Following a league-wide off day on Tuesday, the Suns return to action at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. for the first of three games against the Charleston RiverDogs, Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees.
Suns right-handed starter James Bourque (4-3, 4.68) goes to the mound first on Wednesday and the RiverDogs will match with righty Austin DeCarr (1-1, 6.75) on Bark in the Park night with dogs welcome to attend the game alongside any ticket holder. Tickets are also available for K-Rod's debut in a Suns uniform on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. To purchase tickets, call (301) 791-6266 or visit hagerstownsuns.com.