Pitcher Refuses Handshake, Demands 9th Inning in Career Best

When your manager tries to congratulate you on a stellar performance and you refuse to shake his hand, you better have a good reason. Eduardo Rodriguez had the best one possible: he wanted to keep pitching.

Rodriguez waved off manager Torey Lovullo's handshake after the eighth inning Sunday, insisting he had 10 more pitches left in him. The Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher got his wish, stepping onto the mound for the ninth inning for the first time in his entire 11-year Major League career.

The performance was dominant. Rodriguez didn't allow a single hit until the sixth inning, eventually finishing with 8 1/3 innings of work in a 5-1 victory over the New York Mets at Chase Field.

The Venezuelan southpaw threw 100 pitches total, scattering just four hits and allowing only one run. He wore his mother Magaly's and wife Catherine's names on his cap for Mother's Day, making the career milestone even more meaningful.

"The big thing is that he's getting quick outs, he's getting ahead of hitters," said catcher James McCann, who has caught five of Rodriguez's eight starts this season. The two veterans have developed a rhythm that keeps batters guessing.

Why This Inspires

Rodriguez's turnaround tells a story about persistence and second chances. Through eight starts last season, he had a dismal 6.86 ERA. This year, he's running a sparkling 2.25 ERA with opponents hitting just .202 against him.

The transformation began when Rodriguez helped lead Venezuela to a World Baseball Classic title in March. "You could tell that there was a different attitude and he was in a different space when he got back," said bench coach Jeff Banister about Rodriguez's return from the tournament.

Manager Lovullo ultimately pulled Rodriguez after his 100th pitch for practical reasons, thinking about the long season ahead. "I know I was the most unpopular guy in the stadium," Lovullo admitted. But the numbers speak for themselves: Arizona has won all six of Rodriguez's recent starts.

At 33, Rodriguez is proving that career years can happen at any age when you refuse to settle for good enough.