The Atlanta Braves announced today the signing of right fielder Eddie Rosario to a minor league contract. This marks a return for Rosario, who was instrumental in the Braves’ 2021 World Series victory. Rosario was released by the Washington Nationals earlier this week after a challenging season in the “Nation’s Capital,” where he batted .183 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs.
Rosario will join the Braves’ AAA affiliate in Gwinnett, with hopes of making a swift return to the majors and improving on his performance with the Nationals. The second half of the 2024 regular season will be crucial for him as he aims to bounce back.
Rosario debuted in MLB with the Minnesota Twins in 2015, finishing sixth in Rookie of the Year voting that year (Carlos Correa won the award). He spent six seasons with the Twins before moving to the Cleveland Guardians and then the Braves in 2021. Rosario played a pivotal role in the Braves’ World Series win, earning the NLCS MVP title by hitting .560 with three home runs and nine RBIs against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
This offseason, Rosario signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Nationals. Over his career, he has a .264 batting average with 166 home runs and 574 RBIs. Should Rosario impress in AAA, he might fill the gap left by reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr., who tore his ACL on May 26.
Atlanta Braves Season Summary
The Braves, with a 47-38 record, are in second place in the National League East and currently hold the top National League Wild Card spot. Their offense has underperformed in 2024, ranking 16th in batting average, 14th in home runs, and 19th in runs scored. Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna leads the team in major offensive categories and ranks in the top 20 league-wide in batting average, home runs, RBIs, OPS, and slugging. He is tied for seventh in the league with 21 home runs and is fourth with 67 RBIs.
Conversely, the Braves’ pitching staff has been strong, ranking third in ERA, fifth in strikeouts, eighth in opponent batting average, and seventh in WHIP. Former Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale is leading the staff with an 11-3 record and a 2.71 ERA, ranking among the league leaders in wins, ERA, strikeouts, and WHIP. Closer Raisel Iglesias is tied for fifth in the league with 21 saves.
Eddie Rosario is back in the Braves organization pic.twitter.com/sr7ujov4ai
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 5, 2024
Braves Upcoming Schedule
The Braves begin a three-game home series tonight against the league-leading Philadelphia Phillies. Atlanta is 2-1 against their division rivals this season. Eddie Rosario will aim to be a valuable asset to the Braves in the latter half of the regular season and potentially during a deep postseason run. If he can recapture his past form, Rosario could once again play a significant role for the Braves as they pursue their seventh consecutive MLB Playoffs appearance.
