On a day when the scoreboard told a painful story in Toronto, the Philadelphia Phillies made a far more subtle move that still raised eyebrows across Major League Baseball. Hours after a 9-1 loss to the Blue Jays, Philadelphia adjusted its roster by parting ways with a little-known infielder—only to re-sign him almost immediately.

This wouldn’t normally generate headlines. But the player in question is Jose Rodriguez, a 24-year-old whose MLB career has been stalled by a year-long suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy. The transaction marked both his reinstatement and his release in the same breath—a rare procedural twist for a player who hasn’t logged a single at-bat in the majors.

Rodriguez, who once appeared in a game for the Chicago White Sox without recording a plate

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