Blue Jays' Yariel Rodriguez: Optioned to Triple-A

The Blue Jays optioned Rodriguez to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, Francys Romero of MLB.com reports.

Back spasms delayed the start of Rodriguez's spring training, but he was able to start two games for the Jays while surrendering one earned run across five total innings. The Blue Jays view the 27-year-old righty as a starter rather than a reliever, so sending him to Triple-A will allow him to properly build up to a starter's workload. The expectation is for him to start two or three games in the minors before potentially joining Toronto's rotation, although whether there's a spot for him could depend on the performance of Bowden Francis to begin the season.