The Braves have signed outfielder Eddie Rosario to a minor league contract, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reviews (X hyperlink). Rosario will report back to Triple-A Gwinnett to start his newest stint with the group. The Braves additionally introduced a set of different transactions, together with the information that outfielder Eli White’s contract has been chosen to the large league roster. Forrest Wall was optioned to Triple-A to make room for White on the 26-man roster, whereas left-hander Ray Kerr was moved to the 60-man to create a 40-man roster spot.
It didn’t take lengthy for Rosario to catch on with a well-recognized touchdown spot, as his launch from the Nationals was made official simply yesterday. Washington designated Rosario for task on Monday after which formally parted methods with the veteran after no person claimed him (or the roughly $950K in wage nonetheless owed to him this season) on waivers. Assuming Rosario known as as much as Atlanta’s lively roster, the Braves will owe him simply the prorated portion of a Main League minimal wage, and that complete will likely be subtracted from the $950K or in order that will likely be lined by the Nats.
As per the phrases of the minor league deal Rosario signed with the Nationals throughout the offseason, he was assured a $2MM base wage upon having that contract chosen to their lively roster, and there was no suspense concerning the choice because the Nats had him of their Opening Day lineup. Nonetheless, there weren’t many highlights of Rosario’s three months within the District, as he hit solely .183/.226/.329 with seven house runs over 235 plate appearances. Even with the Nats largely shielding Rosario from left-handed pitching, his .182/.222/.349 slash line towards righties served to crater his manufacturing.
Although Washington has caught round within the wild card race, it was extensively anticipated going into the season that Rosario was a veteran commerce chip that the Nationals would have a look at flip by the deadline. Sadly, Rosario’s subpar manufacturing led the crew to only launch him with no return, and he’ll now return to Atlanta in search of a repeat of his magical 2021 season.
Rosario was additionally struggling by a tough 2021 marketing campaign with Cleveland earlier than the Braves picked him up on the commerce deadline, and the remainder turned Atlanta baseball historical past. Rosario hit .271/.330/.573 with seven homers in 106 PA over the remainder of the common season simply to assist the Braves into the playoffs, and the recent hitting continued into October as Rosario captured NLCS MVP honors en path to serving to the crew win the World Collection.
The Braves then re-signed Rosario to a two-year, $18MM free agent deal that contained a $9MM membership possibility for 2024, however Atlanta declined that possibility final fall after Rosario couldn’t maintain the momentum going. He battled imaginative and prescient issues throughout a depressing 2022 marketing campaign, then rebounded for roughly league-average manufacturing (.255/.305/.455 with 21 homers in 516 PA) final 12 months however the Braves nonetheless opted to go on retaining Rosario’s companies for an additional season. With these first rate numbers coming simply final 12 months, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Rosario expertise a minimum of some sort of a revival in Atlanta, even when a repeat of 2021 is so much to ask.
In one other odd echo of 2021, Rosario has once more been acquired within the aftermath of a season-ending torn ACL from Braves famous person Ronald Acuna Jr. Michael Harris II can also be on the injured checklist recovering from a hamstring pressure and up to date acquisition Ramon Laureano has additionally been battling a again drawback for the final week, leaving the Braves much more short-handed within the outfield. Assuming that Rosario gained’t be in Gwinnett for too lengthy, he can turn into a left-handed hitting complement to the righty-swinging White and Luke Williams, as Jarred Kelenic continues on a regular basis responsibility in middle area and Adam Duvall in proper area. With Harris not anticipated again till after the All-Star break on the earliest, the Braves will attempt to make do with this group till Harris returns, or except different reinforcements are introduced in through trades or signings.
White is now in line for his first little bit of MLB motion this season, and his first because the Braves optioned him right down to Triple-A in April 2023. White has appeared in every of the final 4 Main League campaigns, and all however six of his 136 profession video games within the Present got here with the Rangers from 2020-22. He has batted simply .181/.259/.288 in 406 profession PA within the bigs, however White has been significantly better at Triple-A, together with a .294/.402/.462 slash line for Gwinnett over 234 PA this season.
White’s transient profession has sadly been outlined by accidents, as his final three seasons have all been ended early by surgical procedures. After an elbow surgical procedure in 2021 and a wrist surgical procedure in 2022, White suffered a tore labrum in his left shoulder nearly precisely one 12 months in the past, which led to yet one more process and one other abbreviated season for the outfielder. White’s all-fields protection and high quality baserunning makes him a helpful participant for the outfield-needy Braves to have in a minimum of a bench function, and his Triple-A numbers counsel that he might nonetheless have some late-bloomer potential at age 30.
It was introduced two weeks in the past that Kerr could be present process Tommy John surgical procedure, so it was only a matter of time earlier than the Braves moved him to the 60-day IL when a 40-man spot was wanted. Kerr had a 5.64 ERA in 22 1/3 innings for Atlanta this season, and the timing of his surgical procedure might imply that he may miss the complete 2025 season.
