Leeds United have confirmed that Rodrigo faces two months on the sidelines due to an ankle injury.
The Spanish forward picked up the knock during last Saturday’s FA Cup game against Accrington Stanley.
Rodrigo came off the bench to replace Luis Sinisterra in the 69th minute, shortly after Leeds scored their third goal.
He suffered bone and ligament damage as a result of a challenge on his ankle.
The 31-year-old has since undergone minor surgery and is expected to return to action by the end of March.
It means manager Jesse Marsch will be without Rodrigo for at least eight Premier League games.
Leeds face the likes of Nottingham Forest, Everton, Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers during that period.
Being without their highest goalscorer of the season in games against teams battling for survival is a huge blow.
Rodrigo has scored ten league goals in 18 games this term, assisting once.
It is the second time in his career that the Spaniard has hit double figures in league goals in a season.
He would have fancied his chances of scoring more than the 16 league goals he bagged in 2017-18 while at Valencia.
Leeds’ last league game next month is against Wolves on March 18. They resume league action on April 1 against Arsenal and could have Rodrigo back in action.
The Whites have scored 26 goals in their first 19 games of the term and will have to do more in their next 19.
They signed French attacker Georginio Rutter for a club-record fee from Hoffenheim last month.
The 20-year-old will be tasked with replacing Rodrigo’s goals, and he will need to hit the ground running to do that.
The Elland Road club are currently 15th in the Premier League table, one point above the relegation zone.
