We’ll always have those three weeks in the summer, in Rosario’s second go-around in LA, playing for the second of his three teams in 2024
For the second trade deadline in a row, the Dodgers turned to a familiar security blanket in acquiring infielder Amed Rosario. But ultimately the veteran infielder was an insurance policy the Dodgers didn’t fully use this time around.
The transition from everyday player for the first five-plus years of his career to more of a part-time player in 2023 cratered Rosario’s free agent market last offseason. He was at or below replacement level with Cleveland before finishing relatively strong after the Dodgers acquired him the first time, even if he was left off the Division Series roster last year.
Rosario didn’t sign until after spring training started this year, settling for a measly $1.5 million with the Rays. He started about 60 percent of his games with Tampa Bay and was doing well, hitting .307/.331/.417 with a 116 wRC+ that would have been a career high.
Another difference was that Rosario with Cleveland played only shortstop in the infield, plus 20 starts in the outfield spread over a few years. With the Dodgers in 2023 second base was his primary position, and this year with the Rays he added third base to his bag for the first time.
The Dodgers sent 27-year-old minor league reliever Michael Flynn to the Rays for Rosario on July 29, a day before the trade deadline, and designated Ryan Yarbrough for assignment to make 40-man roster room for Rosario. Yarbrough was traded the next day to Toronto for Kevin Kiermaier, so the Rosario roster tree had a few branches.
At the time Rosario re-joined Los Angeles, the position-player side of the roster was very much in flux. Mookie Betts was still two weeks from returning from his broken hand. Max Muncy had already missed two and a half months with an oblique strain, and was still three weeks from returning (the timing of which wasn’t all that clear at the end of July). Tommy Edman was acquired at the trade deadline but hadn’t yet played in the majors this season after offseason wrist surgery, and an ankle sprain interrupted his minor league rehab. The timing of his return wasn’t yet known, either.
Gavin Lux and Kiké Hernández were two weeks into their second-half resurgence, but at the time of the Rosario trade Lux had a .653 OPS and Hernández was at .589. It wasn’t yet certain that Lux’s swing change and Hernández’s eyeglasses would continue to make such a difference going forward.
There were many scenarios in which Rosario would have been a key contributor for the Dodgers down the stretch.
But what did happen was Muncy and Edman were back by August 19, and Lux and Hernández kept hitting. All of a sudden, the Dodgers didn’t need as much infield help as they originally thought. This was apparent by August 12, with Muncy and Edman already on rehab assignments, so when Betts returned from the IL, it was Rosario who was the roster casualty.
Rosario was designated for assignment, then a week later was claimed off waivers by the Reds, with who he finished out his season.
Rosario got into five of the 10 games for which he was active with the Dodgers, including three starts. He crammed in three positions in limited duty, starting twice at second base, playing two games at shortstop, and finished up a game at third base as well.
2024 particulars
Age: 28
Stats: 5 games, 3 for 11, 2B, SB, 2 RBI with Dodgers; .280/.306/.380, 96 wRC+ on season
Salary: $1.5 million, of which the Dodgers paid roughly $161,290
Game of the year
On August 11 against the Pirates at home, Rosario started at second base and played five innings before getting pinch-hit for by the left-handed Gavin Lux. But while Rosario was in the game he contributed, with an RBI single, a walk, and a stolen base in a win.
Will and Amed make it 2-0! pic.twitter.com/7d61csupzl
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 11, 2024
Roster status
Rosario is a free agent, but no matter where he signs this offseason, keep your eyes peeled around the 2025 trade deadline for his annual sojourn to Los Angeles.