Eddie Rosario was a postseason hero for the Braves on the way to becoming champions in 2021. He set the record for the most hits ever in the NLCS on his way to winning MVP, and it all led to him inking a two-year contract in the offseason for $18 million. Unfortunately, the magic didn’t carry over to 2022, and as we enter the offseason, it’s almost impossible to know what to expect from Rosario in 2023.
Rosario’s struggles this season weren’t all his fault. He began the year slumping at the plate and looking lost in the field. We later found out that he was suffering from vision problems and had to undergo laser eye surgery, which forced him to miss more than two months. Still, he wasn’t exactly a world-beater when he returned, hitting .243 with a .659 OPS in 65 games.
Over the entire season, Rosario accrued -1.6 WAR — pretty incredible, considering he only played in 80 games. An argument could be made that he was the worst player in baseball this season, and while there’s hope he will improve in 2023, the Braves can’t go into next year relying on him as anything more than a bench piece or platoon option.
As things currently stand, the left field situation in Atlanta is bleak. Adam Duvall is set to test free agency and is coming off a significant injury. Marcell Ozuna is a black hole that needs to be either traded or released. And Rosario is coming off the worst season of his career. There’s no question the Braves will look to add an outfielder in free agency, but depending on what they think of Eddie Rosario, it could be a platoon option or a full-time starter.
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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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