Being released by both the Detroit Tigers and the Washington Nationals this season appears to be the least of Francisco Rodriguez’s worries these days.
Akram Namou, a landlord in Bloomfield Township, is reportedly suing Rodriguez for $80,000 for damages to a rental home, kept furnishings, and a missing piece of artwork. Namou filed a lawsuit earlier this month.
Rodriguez signed a seven-month lease in March of 2016, stating that he would rent the house for $10,000 a month.
“There is major damage to the house,” said Namou’s lawyer told the Detroit Free Press. “The hope is to collect and fix it and either put it up for sale or lease it again.”
“My client had this beautiful art piece that they had purchased from overseas and it was hanging in the house when they leased it to Mr. Rodriguez,” said Rima Elzein, who is Namou’s lawyer. “My client alleged that it was taken.”
Elzein’s claim is that the damages were noticed upon Rodriguez’s departure from the home, and that they had been trying to resolve the situation through his management team. After finding no resolution, the lawsuit was filed.
Sep 22, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez (57) delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Tigers won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY SportsThe lawsuit states that on top of the missing artwork, there is damage to a bedroom television, a crystal floor lamp, shelves in a bar, tiles in the master bathroom, as well as a Moroccan mirror in the powder room. There is also damage to bedding, as well as chipped paint throughout the house, making it impossible to be rented out.
Rodriguez paid a $15,000 security deposit upon moving in to the house, which was not returned. In addition to keeping the security deposit, Namou wants the artwork returned and $80,000 for the damages.
The house is 4,921 square feet, and has six bedrooms. It sits on a cul-de-sac on Wabeek Country Club, and is valued at $860,000 according to tax records.
After racking up 44 saves with a 3.24 ERA for the Tigers last season, Rodriguez saw his ERA balloon up to 7.82 in 28 appearances with the team this season, prompting his release from Detroit. He then signed a minor league contract with the Nationals, where he saw time with three different minor league teams in their system. In those three minor league stops, he allowed five runs in five total innings of work, and was again released on July 14.
He is currently a free agent.
