Atlanta Braves: The theft of Eddie Rosario

Back around the trade deadline, the Atlanta Braves found themselves needing to completely revamp their outfield. Through a series of trades, and in the case of a salary dump for the Indians, the Braves found those needed pieces, as Eddie Rosario was one of those players to come back.

The trade with the Indians was particularly interesting. Pablo Sandoval was nominally sent to Cleveland for Rosario, but was immediately released. The Indians clearly just wanted to unload salary without any concern about what, if anything, they got back.

Atlanta Braves stole Eddie Rosario

At the time, the Indians’ lack of interest in any real return for Rosario made sense. He had not exactly set the batter’s box afire, posting an 86 OPS+ with seven homers and 15 doubles in his 306 plate appearances. It is not as though there was a strong market for his services.

But everything changed once Rosario went to Atlanta. His bat came to life, as he produced a 131 OPS+ in his 106 plate appearances, hitting seven homers and four doubles. While there has not been any question about his glove, Rosario saved four runs in left in just 28 games, showing that he was an important acquisition after all.

That has continued into the postseason, particularly in the NLCS. He has ten hits, including two homers and a triple, while driving in six runs in his 19 plate appearances. On Wednesday, he became the second player in postseason history to hit two homers and a triple in the same game, joining Steve Garvey in 1978.

As the Braves find themselves one game away from the World Series, Rosario has been a key part of that push. His bat has made a dramatic impact, something that would have been difficult to imagine when he was acquired. But this is why the games are played on the diamond as opposed to paper – sometimes, one of the players one least expects turns out to be a hero.

Eddie Rosario was sent to the Atlanta Braves as a clear salary dump. With his postseason performance, he has clearly been a steal.