Amed Rosario’s shorter second tenure with the Dodgers officially came to an end on Sunday when the all-rounder was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds.
The Dodgers acquired Rosario from the Rays for minor league pitcher Michael Flynn just hours before the July 30 trade deadline. It was the second straight deadline they signed the longtime infielder. But just two weeks later, on Monday, he was designated for trade to make room on the roster for Mookie Betts’ return from the injured list.
With the Rays and Dodgers this season, Rosario hit .305/.331/.415 with a 114 wRC+, including .327/.355/.462 with a 133 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers.
He was signed by the Dodgers as a reliever and even played right field for Tampa Bay this year, in addition to playing time at second base, third base and shortstop, although Rosario was rated below average defensively at all four positions. With Betts returning and the impending return of Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, moving Kiké Hernández into the right-handed reliever role, Rosario’s opportunity for playing time was limited, leading to his departure from the Dodgers.
“They’re parting ways with a really good and versatile ball player. But just the guys coming back show how much talent there is now and in the future. I really like Amed. It’s a difficult decision, really.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Monday in Milwaukee“When we put together our lineup, I just didn’t see a lot of room for him when we got guys back.
Rosario played in five of the nine games he appeared in for the Dodgers, including two starts at second base and once at shortstop. He had three hits in 11 at-bats, including a double, a walk, a stolen base, two RBIs and a run scored.
