The Braves have signed outfielder Eddie Rosario to a minor league contract, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman stories (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 project on Monday after which formally parted methods with the veteran after no one claimed him (or the roughly $950K in wage nonetheless owed to him this season) on waivers. Assuming Rosario is named as much as Atlanta’s energetic roster, the Braves will owe him simply the prorated portion of a Main League minimal wage, and that whole can be subtracted from the $950K or in order that can 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 energetic roster, and there was no suspense in regards to the determination for the reason that 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 dwelling 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 broadly 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 group to simply launch him with no return, and he’ll now return to Atlanta on the lookout for 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 remaining 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 new hitting continued into October as Rosario captured NLCS MVP honors en path to serving to the group win the World Sequence.
The Braves then re-signed Rosario to a two-year, $18MM free agent deal that contained a $9MM membership choice for 2024, however Atlanta declined that choice final fall after Rosario couldn’t preserve 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 yr however the Braves nonetheless opted to move on retaining Rosario’s providers for an additional season. With these respectable numbers coming simply final yr, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Rosario expertise at the least some form of a revival in Atlanta, even when a repeat of 2021 is loads 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 listing 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 received’t be in Gwinnett for too lengthy, he can grow to be a left-handed hitting complement to the righty-swinging White and Luke Williams, as Jarred Kelenic continues on a regular basis responsibility in heart subject and Adam Duvall in proper subject. 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 until different reinforcements are introduced in by way of trades or signings.
White is now in line for his first little bit of MLB motion this season, and his first for the reason that Braves optioned him all the way 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 temporary 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 virtually precisely one yr in the past, which led to 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 at the least a bench function, and his Triple-A numbers recommend that he may nonetheless have some late-bloomer potential at age 30.
It was introduced two weeks in the past that Kerr can 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 may imply that he may miss the whole 2025 season.
