He then played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball for the California Angels (1967–1970), Washington Senators (1970), Detroit Tigers (1971–1979), San Diego Padres (1980), New York Yankees (1980–1981), Chicago White Sox (1982–1983) and Baltimore Orioles (1983).

He hit .308 for Seattle and .327 at El Paso and had 32 doubles, nine triples, 13 home runs and 64 RBIs in 315 at bats in the minors during the 1967 season.

In May 1968, Angels coach Don Heffner described Rodriguez as "the kind of player who can play anyplace" and predicted that Aurelio would be "around for a long time.

"[3] In 1969, Rodriguez appeared in 159 games at third base and led the league's third basemen with 42 double plays turned and ranked second behind Brooks Robinson with 352 assists.

In March 1970, Phillips said: "We have tried everything to get Aurelio to choke up on the bat and to spray the ball instead of trying to pull for power but he won't listen or try to correct himself.

"[11] On April 26, 1970, the Angels traded Rodriguez with Rick Reichardt to the Washington Senators in exchange for power-hitting third baseman Ken McMullen.

[12] Washington manager Ted Williams said at the time that he hand-picked Reichardt and Rodriguez as players he would like to work with.

He appeared in 153 combined games at the position (both for the Angels and Senators) and led all major league third basemen in both assists (377) and double plays turned (41).

[16] He also reduced his error count to 18 and ranked fourth among all basemen with a .965 fielding percentage—two one-hundredths behind major league leader Graig Nettles.

[16] Despite Rodriguez's impressive defensive showing, Brooks Robinson maintained a lock on the Gold Glove Award—receiving the award for 16 consecutive seasons from 1960 to 1975.

[17] Rodriguez was considered "the prize of the deal", a third baseman with "quick reflexes, a fast glove and superb throwing arm.

"[14] The team's doctor in 1975 declared Rodriguez one of the most perfectly adjusted people he had ever met, adding, "He is a completely happy person.

"[18] In his first season in Detroit, Rodriguez's batting average improved to .253 (the highest of his major league career to that time), and he led the Tigers in hits (153), doubles (30), and triples (seven).

[1] However, he played most of the year with an injured elbow,[10] and his defensive performance dropped off as he ranked second among the American League's third basemen with 23 errors.

[1] In the off-season between the 1971 and 1972 seasons, Rodriguez was married, played only 37 games in the Mexican Pacific Coast League, and reported healthy and fresh to spring training.

[24] He hit fewer home runs (five) than any prior full season in his career, but he nevertheless compiled an identical .222 batting average for the second consecutive year.

[27] In 1976, Rodriguez appeared in the Tigers' first 128 games, but missed the remainder of the season after sustaining an ankle injury sliding into second base on August 29.

I feel bad about it"[33] Rodriguez was then slowed further when he slipped in a bathtub on July 2 and sustained a hairline rib fracture below his right arm.

Despite the limited playing time, Rodriguez had the highest full-season batting average of his major league career at .265.

Rodriguez, never one to complain previously, could see the writing on the wall, criticized Hebner's defensive abilities, and said publicly that he felt he was being treated unfairly after nine years with the Tigers.

[38] On December 7, the same day Rodriguez's criticism was published, the Tigers traded him to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a player to be named later.

[41] He was then traded by Toronto in early April to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for outfielder Wayne Nordhagen.

[42] While initially expecting to be a backup in Chicago,[42] the Sox traded Jim Morrison to Oakland in mid-June, and Rodriguez became the team's regular third baseman.

While batting only .241, Rodriguez put in a solid year defensively, finishing third among the league's third basemen with a .969 fielding percentage and a 3.38 range factor per nine innings at third base.

[1] In the spring of 1984, Rodriguez's efforts to return to the White Sox, or to sign with another major league club, were unsuccessful.

His career range factor of 3.215 per nine innings at third base ranks second in major league history, trailing only Darrell Evans.

Praise for his ability includes: After his playing career ended, Rodriguez worked as a manager, primarily in the Mexican League, from 1987 to 1997.

Rodriguez returned to the United States in 1989 as assistant coach for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, a Triple-A farm team for the Cleveland Indians.

When asked in 1969 if he preferred American or Mexican girls, he smiled and replied that "as long as they wear skirts he likes them all.

As he left the El Rancho restaurant, he was struck by the driver of a vehicle that jumped the curb at the corner of Cavalry and West Vernor.