Houston Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez has reportedly cleared waivers this week, but the New York Yankees won't be one of the teams pursuing his services according to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York. Rodriguez, 32, has a clause in his contract that will turn his 2014 option into a player option if he's traded, pushing his guaranteed salaries over $36 million through the 2014 season.
That makes him a pricey option given what he is, a good mid-rotation starter, so teams understandably passed on taking on the pitcher's entire contract through a waiver claim. Some have speculated that Rodriguez would be a good fit for the Yankees given their vast resources and need for starting pitching, but the Yankees appear to prefer going in a different route.
The left-hander has pitched 147 strong innings for the Astros this season, posting a 3.31 ERA and a solid 3.62 SIERA over 23 starts. He's been Houston's best starter since 2007, posting WAR marks in the 2.5 to 4.0 range each season. The Yankees may still be interested in other pitchers, though, as Susan Slusser reported yesterday that they were among the contenders scouting Rich Harden.