Eduardo Rodriguez heads young Tigers’ pitching staff

By DICK SCANLON
Associated Press

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Eduardo Rodríguez is the highest-paid and most experienced pitcher on the Detroit Tigers after signing a $77 million, five-year contract. Yet, manager A.J. Hinch doesn’t believe in labeling someone a No. 1 starter. Rodríguez, a 29-year-old left-hander, will start Friday’s exhibition opener and perhaps the Tigers’ opener against the Chicago White Sox on April 8. Rodríguez has 153 career starts. Casey Mize, Matt Manning and left-handers Tarik Skuba and Tyler Alexander, the four pitchers likely to join him in Detroit’s rotation, have a combined 116 _ most of them last season.