Francisco Rodriguez was on fire last year, but his game went up in flames in 2017. On top of it all, it appears the free agent is in some hot legal waters now that he’s been sued by his former landlord.
As reported by John Wisely of the Detroit Free Press, “Akram Namou filed the lawsuit earlier this month, claiming Rodriguez signed a seven-month lease in March 2016 to rent the furnished home for $10,000 per month.”
He’s seeking $80,000 in damages, alleging Rodriguez damaged the rental home and took furnishings, “including walking off with a wall tapestry valued at more than $10,000.”
Namou’s lawyer, Rima Elzein of Dearborn, said, “There is major damage to the house. 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,” Elzein said. “My client alleged that it was taken.”
Additionally, it is alleged that Rodriguez damaged a number of items, including a television, crystal floor lamp, glass shelves in the bar, glass tiles in a bathroom and a mirror in the powder room. Namou also alleges his former tenents stained the bedding, chipped paint, among other damage. He claims the home is now unrentable because of all the damage.
The home has been valued at $860,000 and sits on a cul-de-sac, backed up to a golf course.
Rodriguez has yet to be served the lawsuit, though Elzein has been speaking to his managers. The former star reliever has been out of work since the Tigers released him in June.