RHP Francisco Rodriguez's role as Detroit's closer appears to be in jeopardy after he blew his fourth overall save and second straight against the Oakland A's Sunday. Rodriguez gave up three runs in the ninth inning, two on a two-run, walk-off homer by INF/DH Ryon Healy. "On Saturday, Rodriguez gave up a two-run, walk-off single to SS Adam Rosales with two outs in a 6-5 A's win "I don't recall going through such a bad moment as I'm going through right now," Rodriguez said. "Definitely I'm extremely disappointed with myself. I just want to extend my apologies to my team and the fans. Totally embarrassing. I'm more embarrassed than anything else. I just hope they don't give up [on me]. I don't want to be judged for the last 10 outings of my career for what I've done for 15 years. I've been through similar situations but not that rough. But I'm confident that I'm going to bounce back." Manager Brad Ausmus said he's "going to have to have a discussion" about the closer's role during Monday's off day. "He's not closing out games," Ausmus said of Rodriguez. "It's something he's done for decades. So I think it's pretty obvious it's not the same Frankie. I think he's searching for command more than anything, command on his pitches. He certainly has earned a degree of respect with his performance over the years, including what he did for us last year. It's not as simple as people like to think it."

RHP Francisco Rodriguez had his third blown save in 10 opportunities this season Saturday night in a 6-5 loss to Oakland. With Detroit leading 5-4 entering the bottom of the ninth, Rodriguez retired the first two batters he faced. But he walked C Bruce Maxwell after getting ahead 0-2, then gave up a double to Matt Joyce and a two-run, walk-off single to SS Adam Rosales, who hit his first-pitch fastball into left field.Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he has no plans to change closers. "Until we decide otherwise, he's going to be our closer," Ausmus said.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez is in no danger of losing the closer's role, according to manager Brad Ausmus. Rodriguez gave up a go-ahead, ninth-inning run in a non-save situation on Thursday against Seattle. Rodriguez is 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA and opponents are batting .350 against him. He's converted six of eight save opportunities. "This guy did a pretty good job last year in a city that did have question marks in the closer's role for a long time," Ausmus said. "He was extremely good as our closer. I would be hesitant to rush to judgment on him. We know he can pitch better than he's pitched overall."

RHP Francisco Rodriguez had his second blown save of the season, taking the loss after giving up two runs (one unearned) in the bottom of the ninth. He walked the leadoff batter and gave up a double, setting up an intentional walk and the throwing error that cost the Tigers a win.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez wound up with a win instead of a save Friday in Detroit's 6-5 victory over Boston. Manager Brad Ausmus elected to ring Rodriguez in for a rare four-out save with two out in the eighth. But Rodriguez served up a three-run home run to cap a five-run Red Sox rally in the eighth that gave the visitors a temporary 5-4 lead. The Tigers got two in the bottom of the eighth and Rodriguez got three batters out of five out in the ninth to gain the win. "Truthfully, I didn't want to bring him in," Ausmus said. "I really didn't want to bring him in for a four-out save this early in the season. He hasn't pitched that much. I just felt like we had to. The wheels were coming off a little bit."

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez sustained an apparent leg injury during a collision at home plate and was carried back to the clubhouse while playing for Team Venezuela in a World Baseball Classic game on Saturday in Jalisco, Mexico.Perez was injured while colliding with Drew Butera, his teammate on the Royals and his backup at the catcher position in the ninth inning. Butera was attempting to score the game-winning run for Team Italy. Butera was tagged out while sliding into Perez's left leg.Venezuela won the game 11-10 in 10 innings.In March 2012, Perez had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.Detroit Tigers closer Francisco Rodriguez was also injured during the sequence. He sustained an apparent leg strain while cutting off a throw.Perez, 26, earned his fourth straight All-Star selection last season with the Royals, hitting .247 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs.Rodriguez, 35, posted a 3-4 record with a 3.24 ERA in 61 relief appearances last season with Detroit. The six-time All-Star is entering his 16th major league campaign.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez's $6 million option was picked up by the Tigers on Thursday. The option clause carried a $2 million buyout.Rodriguez, 34, appeared in 61 games this year after being obtained from the Milwaukee Brewers last November. He was 3-4 with 44 saves and a 3.24 ERA."We liked the job K-Rod did last season, and the numbers show he was a reliable closer for us," Tigers GM Al Avila said in a statement. "He stabilizes the back end of our bullpen and provides veteran leadership to our younger bullpen arms."

With the market for free agent closers likely to explode in the offseason, the Detroit Tigers picked up the 2017 option for Francisco Rodriguez on Thursday.The free agent market for closers will include Aroldis Chapman, Mark Melancon and Kenley Jansen, who are expected to get long-term contracts.The Tigers, who do not have any other in-house closing options, decided to pick up Rodriguez's $6 million option instead of buying out the rest of his contract for $2 million.Rodriguez, 34, appeared in 61 games this year after being obtained from the Milwaukee Brewers last November. He was 3-4 with 44 saves and a 3.24 ERA."We liked the job K-Rod did last season, and the numbers show he was a reliable closer for us," Tigers general manager Al Avila said in a statement released by the team. "He stabilizes the back end of our bullpen and provides veteran leadership to our younger bullpen arms."Rodriguez ranked second in the American League in saves and posted the second most in Detroit history in a single season behind Jose Valverde's 49 in 2011.Rodriguez has six seasons with at least 40 saves, trailing only Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman, who each had nine 40-save seasons.He made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2002 and has a 50-48 record with 430 saves, a 2.73 ERA and 1,119 strikeouts in 920 appearances for the New York Mets, Milwaukee, the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez makes his bad outings spectacular. Rodriguez blew his fourth save opportunity of the season Saturday when he was tagged for a tying two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning and then a three-run, game-winning homer. He has 44 saves in 48 opportunities and now a 3-4 record. "It's just that Frankie had an off day," manager Brad Ausmus said. "You're going to have an off day from time to time. He's been outstanding. We wouldn't be here without him. Like they say, (stuff) happens."

RHP Francisco Rodriguez notched his 40th save Friday and is tied for the American League lead with the Orioles' Zach Britton. Rodriguez set down all three batters he faced against the Orioles. He's hit the 40-save mark for the sixth time in his career. "He's got a lot of moxie," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez worked around a leadoff double in the ninth to log his 38th save. He has 424 career saves, tying John Franco for fourth. Only Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601) and Lee Smith (478) have more.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez blew his third save of the season and his first since June 13. He gave up a two-run two-out single in the eighth inning to Paulo Orlando. He got a reprieve when Miguel Cabrera's two-run single in the ninth put the Tigers back on top. "I was still a little angry about it (blown save), but once we started getting guys on base and started getting those base hits everything changed," Rodriguez said. "You hit the reset button and you go out there and give everything you've got, and that's what I did."

RHP Francisco Rodriguez got a milestone save Friday night, collecting the 422nd of his career to tie Billy Wagner for fifth on the all-time saves list. It was the third time he's been asked to get a four-out save, manager Brad Ausmus said. "You're not going to see me do it often," Ausmus said. "I think long-term K-Rod could handle it. But I don't think closers are built that way nowadays. I just think the pitch counts get high, the adrenalin see-saw is tough. A lot of closers pitch on adrenalin; they pitch on adrenalin for one inning. To ask them to come in for an out, then they sit down, then ask them to pump themselves up, it's tough to do sometimes." Rodriguez has 36 saves this season.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez took his second loss in three days when he blew a save opportunity in the bottom of the 15th inning Tuesday at Seattle. Rodriguez gave up two runs after taking over with a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the 15th, though only one of the runs was earned.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez took the loss Sunday, entering a 1-1 game in the top of the ninth and giving up a two-run home run in a 3-1 Detroit loss to the visiting New York Mets. He served up a high changeup that 2B Neil Walker hit for the home run. It was Rodriguez's third straight game and fourth out of five. "I talked him to before the game," manager Brad Ausmus said, "and he said he was good. This guy is a consummate professional. Now that I've been around him, I wish that every single pitcher had his makeup and attitude. He's a warrior. It didn't work, but I got him out of there quick -- tried to save him a few bullets. But this guy is one of the most professional people I've been around. And he told me he was good to go. There's been one time all year where he told me he needed a day."

RHP Francisco Rodriguez escaped a bases-loaded jam to notch his 30th save in his 900th career appearance. He is the 25th pitcher in major league history to have 900 appearances. He retired White Sox C Dioner Navarro on a groundout to survive the shaky outing, his first since July 26. "He might have been a little rusty," manager Brad Ausmus said. "He hadn't pitched in about a week."

RHP Francisco Rodriguez, the Tigers' closer who saved the first two games of the series with Boston, was unavailable Wednesday because he was away from the team for personal reasons, manager Brad Ausmus said. The Tigers are hoping Rodriguez will rejoin the team Friday.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez navigated another tough save situation with ease Tuesday, setting down the heart of Boston's order in the ninth for his 29th save. Rodriguez opposed the same trio of hitters -- Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts and David Ortiz -- with the game hanging in the balance Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday, he retired Pedroia but allowed the tying run to reach on Bogaerts' single. In the next at-bat, he forced Ortiz to ground into a game-ending double play. "I'm very comfortable with him in a save situation," manager Brad Ausmus said of Rodriguez, who has converted all but one of his save situations this year and has a 2.63 ERA.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 22nd save of the season with a scoreless ninth Thursday, giving up a single to Evan Longoria but retiring the next three to close out a 10-7 victory.

RHP Francisco Rodriguez had converted each of his last 19 saves and was tied for the American League saves lead with Baltimore LHP Zach Britton. On Monday, he pitched the ninth inning and gave up two runs -- including the tying score -- for a blown save.