Angels manager Joe Maddon suggested Sunday that Rodriguez profiles as a reliever both now and in the future, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. "If you look at (Rodriguez) right now, he looks like a relief pitcher to me," Maddon said. "But that doesn't mean he can't start. Just looking at the way he comes after you, the physical stuff, how intimidating he can be in the short term, it's very interesting. I've not seen enough of him to know the other side of it."
Rodriguez has been used almost exclusively as a starter in the minors, though injuries and the global pandemic have limited him to only three appearances since 2017. He is being considered as an option to break camp with the Angels this season as a reliever, and he has posted an impressive 10:1 K:BB over 6.1 innings this spring. While a transition to relief could help expedite the right-hander's path to the majors, it wouldn't be the best thing for his long-term fantasy value.