Eddie Rosario was the first official move Alex Anthopoulos made on deadline day, and it only cost the Braves Pablo Sandoval, making it a no-lose situation for Atlanta. Sandoval was likely to be cut anyways, but the reason Rosario’s services didn’t even cost a prospect is because he was on the IL with an abdominal strain.
Obviously, the Braves were well aware of this before the deal was complete. They knew it would be at least a couple of weeks before he could even begin rehabbing in the minors, but Anthopoulos still rolled the dice in hopes Rosario could return for the stretch run and add something to the Braves outfield.
Well, fast forward nearly four weeks, and it looks as if Rosario is close to doing so. He took the field in Gwinnett for the first time on August 11th, and after a sluggish start, he’s performed like a player that has a career OPS of nearly .800 in the majors. In his past five games for the Stripers, Rosario has three homers, including this one that gave Gwinnett a win last night.
https://twitter.com/GoStripers/status/1430358506394341391
Rosario also has six hits in his last two games, which has resulted in his batting average rising over 130 points — from .088 to .209. That’s far from eye-popping, but it looks like he’s trending in the right direction at the right time.
I’m not sure when the Braves might elect to move him up. They could feel he’s an upgrade over someone like Abraham Almonte and do it before their upcoming stretch against the Dodgers and Giants, or they could decide to let him continue working himself back into game shape with the Stripers until the rosters expand on September 1st. I understand either decision, but I’m excited to see what Rosario can bring to this ball club when he is eventually added to the active roster.
You must log in to post a comment.