The Dodgers introduced Monday that they’ve reinstated Mookie Betts from the 60-day injured listing and created area in considerably shocking trend: infielder/outfielder and commerce deadline acquisition Amed Rosario has been designated for project.
Rosario, 28, was acquired in a commerce sending 28-year-old minor league reliever Michael Flynn again to the Rays. It wasn’t a steep worth to pay essentially, nevertheless it’s nonetheless sudden to see Los Angeles transfer on in such fast trend. The versatile Rosario acquired solely 12 plate appearances in his second stint with Los Angeles — the Dodgers additionally acquired him on the 2023 deadline — and has hit effectively all season. In 287 plate appearances between Tampa Bay and L.A., he’s slashing .305/.331/.415 — about 14% higher than league-average, by measure of wRC+.
Dodgers brass was largely selecting amongst Rosario, Enrique Hernandez and Nick Ahmed when figuring out who can be the odd man out to clear means for Betts’ return. Hernandez has struggled badly in 2024 general, however a well-timed scorching streak has ostensibly saved his spot on the roster. He’s hitting .333/.405/.545 in 37 plate appearances this month. Ahmed has posted an empty .268 batting common in 42 plate appearances (.268/.286/.341, 77 wRC+), however he’s a high-end defender at shortstop. With Betts returning to proper area, maintaining an elite center infield defender like Ahmed apparently received out over maintaining a extra productive however much less invaluable defensive piece in Rosario.
The veteran Rosario signed an eminently inexpensive one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Rays over the winter, trying to rebound from a career-worst displaying with the Guardians and Dodgers final 12 months. After spending years as the first shortstop in Cleveland, he’s moved to a utility position that’s seen him log time at shortstop, second base, third base and in proper area this season. He’s drawn poor defensive grades on the whole and has by no means been considered a high-quality glove at shortstop on the massive league degree. Rosario has been productive on the plate, nonetheless, and that’s notably true towards lefties, who he’s tagged for a powerful .327/.355/.462 line in 2024.
Between his gentle contract, offensive manufacturing and his rising expertise at a number of positions, Rosario stands a far better probability of being claimed by one other crew than most veterans who’re designated for project this time of 12 months. The commerce deadline has handed, so the one possibility the Dodgers could have is to put Rosario on outright waivers or launch waivers. It’d be one other, extra modest shock if he handed by unclaimed.
With that in thoughts, it’s price noting that outright waiver order is set by the reverse order of the MLB-wide standings and is not league-specific. That’s a standard false impression, however league-specific waivers pertained to the now-defunct August commerce waiver course of. (MLBTR has confirmed this with league sources on a number of events.) Since Rosario is a free agent on the finish of the 12 months, it’s doubtless that rebuilding golf equipment and others whose postseason hopes have pale will enable him to cross by.
In the intervening time, waiver precedence amongst postseason hopefuls (utilizing an admittedly arbitrary standards of fewer than six video games again in both a division race or Wild Card chase) can be ranked: Pirates, Reds, Cubs, Rays, Giants, Cardinals, Mets, Braves, Pink Sox, Mariners, Astros, Royals, Padres, D-backs, Twins, Brewers, Guardians, Phillies, Yankees and Orioles. As of this writing, Rosario continues to be owed $387K of this 12 months’s wage. Any crew that claims him can be on the hook for the total sum, whereas the Dodgers can be spared that sum plus the 110% tax as a third-time luxurious payor. Total, waiving Rosario might save the Dodgers about $813K — assuming he’s claimed.
As for Betts, he’ll return to his customary proper area and add one other former MVP to the highest of the Dodgers’ lineup, slotting into between fellow former MVPs Shohei Ohtani (leadoff) and Freddie Freeman (No. 3 hitter). Betts provides supervisor Dave Roberts a right-handed bat to interrupt up that pair of imposing lefties, and Betts in fact is among the many extra feared hitters within the sport when wholesome.
Previous to the fractured hand that price him the previous eight-plus weeks, Betts was hitting .304/.405/.488 with 10 homers, 16 doubles, three triples, 9 steals (in 10 tries), a 14.2% stroll price and only a 10.3% strikeout price. With Betts now again in proper area, the Dodgers will play Miguel Rojas commonly at shortstop and Gavin Lux at second base, with the aforementioned Hernandez an choice to again up Lux (particularly towards lefties) and Ahmed offering a glove-first backup at shortstop.
