Major League Baseball

Brewers and Rodriguez rework contract option

Published Jul. 16, 2011 2:20 a.m. ET

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The Milwaukee Brewers and newly acquired reliever Francisco Rodriguez have reworked his contract to alter the terms of a $17.5 million option for next year.

The Brewers said Friday the sides agreed to change an option for next season from one that would have vested once Rodriguez finished 55 games to a straight mutual option. If both sides don't agree to exercise the option then Rodriguez will get a $4 million buyout, an increase from $3.5 million.

Rodriguez was acquired from the New York Mets following Tuesday's All-Star game in exchange for cash and two players to be named. He already had finished 34 games with the Mets, leaving him 21 games shy of fulfilling the vesting requirement when he was dealt to Milwaukee.

With the contract revision, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said before Friday's game at Colorado that he feels no limitations in how he can bring Rodriguez out of the bullpen.

''From my point of view and that of the staff, it will be nicer on us,'' he said. ''These things, these contracts, most of the time a manager doesn't know about them so you don't have to worry about anything. But when it's so public and I knew exactly all the numbers, it's just not comfortable.''

Also, Rodriguez, who wore No. 75 in his first game with Milwaukee on Thursday, switched his jersey number Friday to 57, which he wore as a member of the Angels.

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