BRAVES SIGN FAN FAVORITE AS PART OF OUTFIELD SHAKE-UP

The Atlanta Braves have dealt with significantly more injuries this season than in 2023.

Atlanta's offense was particularly healthy last season, with no regular missing more than a month and the quartet of Michael Harris II (back), Travis d'Arnaud (concussion), Ozzie Albies (hamstring) and Orlando Arcia (wrist) missing just a combined 87 days. 

2024's been different, with Sean Murphy missing two months due to an oblique injury, Michael Harris II out for almost a month already with a hamstring strain, and reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. out for the season with a torn ACL. 

As Atlanta's scrambled to find solutions for their outfield in the wake of losing both Acuña and Harris, they're trying another approach: Reuniting with an old friend. 

Per multiple reports, the Braves have signed outfielder Eddie Rosario to a minor league deal and he will be reporting to Triple-A Gwinnett today. 

Rosario, 32, was one of four outfielders acquired via trade by Atlanta back in 2021 in the wake of Acuña's season-ending knee injury. He batted .271 down the stretch before going nuclear in the postseason, being named MVP of the 2021 NLCS after hitting three homers and batting .560 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Puerto Rican outfielder parleyed that strong postseason run into a new contract with Atlanta, the only of the four outfielders to re-sign with the Braves after that 2021 season. (A second, Adam Duvall, is back for this season after signing a one-year deal during spring training.) 

After an eye issue slowed him down to start 2022, Rosario rebounded to put up a strong 2023 season, batting .255 with 21 homers while being named a finalist for the Gold Glove in left field. Atlanta decided to go another direction this offseason, however, declining Rosario's $9M club option for 2024 and instead trading for outfielder Jarred Kelenic from the Seattle Mariners. 

Rosario signed a split deal with the Washington Nationals and made the Opening Day roster, but was unable to make much impact in DC. Batting just .183 with seven homers in his first 67 games, Rosario was designated for assignment and then waived last week with the promotion of top outfield prospect James Wood. 

And so, Atlanta's "kicking the tires", so to speak, on Rosario. Washington is responsible for the remaining balance of Eddie's $2M contract, with the Braves on the hook for only the prorated portion of the league minimum were he to make the major league roster. He'll go to Gwinnett and hope to revitalize his career, similar to how Ramón Laureano did after being waived by the Cleveland Guardians and subsequently finding a home in Gwinnett (and then Atlanta). 

Major league call-up in the outfield

But with Laureano sidelined by an oblique issue that's now stretched almost a week, Atlanta's finally making a move to address their outfield and get some help. 

The Braves today also optioned Forrest Wall to the minor leagues, replacing him with Eli White. 

Wall, 28, made the Opening Day roster but played in only two games in April before being sent down to Gwinnett. Being called back up in mid-June, he's made 10 starts and is 7-28 in that stretch, being pinch-hit for five times. He's also struggled to flash his trademark speed, going just three for six on stolen bases during that stretch. 

White, however, has been on an absolute heater for Gwinnett. The 30-year-old is batting .294 with seven homers and 18 stolen bases (in 20 chances) fo the Stripers and is coming off of a record-setting 6-7 night with two homers and 7 RBI on Wednesday. 

White's played in the major leagues in parts of four different seasons, including six games with Atlanta last summer. He's a cumulative .181 across those 136 games, with 130 of them coming in Texas with the Rangers from 2020-2022. 

Despite Laureano having been unavailable for the better part of a week with his oblique injury, the demotion of Wall lends us to believe that he should return soon and it remains to be seen how much run White will get in Atlanta. Kelenic has been the everyday starter in centerfield, while Laureano was starting every day in right field prior to the injury. Adam Duvall and White could potentially share time in left field; with Duvall batting .265 against lefties and just .120 against righties, White may get to man the large side of the platoon if Atlanta feels he's ready to step into a major league role between now and whenever Rosario might be deemed ready to return to Atlanta's roster. 

Brian Anderson, who is primarily a corner infielder but has played some corner outfield this season, making two starts in right, went on a rehab assignment to Gwinnett today. On the injured list for over two weeks with a bacterial infection, he could potentially be in the major league mix as well, depending on the performance of White and Rosario at their respective levels.  

2024-07-05T17:26:57Z dg43tfdfdgfd