The Tampa Bay Rays have had their typical offseason.
They have dealt one of their stars about to get expensive (Tyler Glasnow), acquired controllable talent (Ryan Pepiot), and now they are shopping at the bargain section.
According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, Tampa Bay is bringing in a former top prospect on the cheap.
“Infielder Amed Rosario and the Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement on a one-year, $1.5 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Rosario, 28, will bring a strong bat against left-handed pitching and should get at-bats at shortstop, second base and potentially corner-outfield spots,” he tweeted.
Infielder Amed Rosario and the Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement on a one-year, $1.5 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Rosario, 28, will bring a strong bat against left-handed pitching and should get at-bats at shortstop, second base and potentially corner-outfield spots.
A $1.5 million contract is very much the definition of bargain shopping when it comes to MLB.
However, the Rays and their extremely talented player development staff are confident they can work with Rosario and help him reach the best of his abilities.
They have done this with dozens of players throughout the years.
Rosario was a top prospect with the New York Mets in the mid-2010s.
He made his MLB debut in 2017, and was later acquired in the Francisco Lindor trade by the Cleveland Guardians.
From there, he went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023.
In all these years, he has been unable to fulfill the promise he once carried.
He has a rather mediocre .708 career OPS.
However, the Rays are fans of platooning their hitters to put them in the best possible position to succeed.
Against right-handers, Rosario is a career .670 OPS player.
However, versus southpaws, that number goes up to a very good .806 OPS.
His ability to hit lefties and his defensive versatility (without being a defensive magician) make Rosario an intriguing addition by Tampa.