Wilking Rodriguez: Elects free agency

Rodriguez (shoulder) elected to become a free agent Monday.

The Cardinals outrighted Rodriguez off their 40-man roster and offered the Rule 5 pick back to the Yankees, but they declined. The reliever never pitched for the Cards, as he was limited to just seven games in the minors due to a shoulder injury which eventually required surgery. Rodriguez nearly made it back late in the season, but it's not clear what his current health situation is.