July 6, 2022 1:19 PM : Tigers general manager Al Avila said Wednesday that Rodriguez (personal) hasn't been in communication with the club since landing on the restricted list June 13, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports. "We reached out, but he hasn't reached out back. We're just kind of waiting it out...it is unusual. But we have no choice but to wait and see what develops as we move forward," Avila said.
Analysis: When Rodriguez was placed on the restricted list to tend to a personal matter, the Tigers relayed that the southpaw wouldn't have a timeline for a return, but the expectation was that he would remain in touch with the team in some capacity. The fact that Rodriguez isn't actively keeping in contact with Tigers officials could hint at some potential friction between player and team, as Avila might not have made these public comments if the two sides were on the same page. At any rate, fantasy managers shouldn't count on Rodriguez being ready to go coming out of the All-Star break, as he'll likely need at least few weeks to ramp back up regardless of if or when he rejoins the Tigers. Before being moved to the restricted list, Rodriguez was on the cusp of returning from the 15-day injured list after he had been sidelined since late May with a left rib cage sprain.