Path for Braves to reunite with former postseason hero has never been easier

The need for an outfielder in Atlanta has never been larger than it is right now. Sure, the Atlanta Braves remain ten games over .500 after a series win against the Pirates, but their offense remains as inconsistent as ever. This has been the case all season, and especially since the injuries suffered by Ronald Acuña Jr. and Michael Harris II.

Harris will be back at some point, but Acuña's injury ended his season prematurely. Acuña's injury thrust Adam Duvall into Atlanta's outfield full-time and let's just say that hasn't gone as planned. While Duvall has crushed left-handed pitching, he's slashing .094/.127/.113 against righties. He has ten hits in 106 at-bats against them this season. I wish that was a typo.

Duvall should still be in the lineup regularly against southpaws, but the sooner Alex Anthopoulos adds a platoon partner for him, the better. Fortunately, the Washington Nationals might have just gifted him an ideal platoon partner for Duvall, as they have reportedly DFA'd Eddie Rosario as the corresponding move for James Wood's promotion.

Braves have golden opportunity to reunite with former postseason hero

Eddie Rosario spent parts of three seasons with the Braves and will always be a fan favorite in Atlanta for what he did in the 2021 NLCS, helping the Braves dismantle the Dodgers and advance to the World Series.

While his streakiness was frustrating, he was an impactful player in Atlanta as recently as last season when he launched 21 home runs and drove in 74 runs. Not bad for a player who mostly hit in the lower third of the order.

Unfortunately, things haven't been the same for Rosario in 2024, which is exactly why Washington DFA'd him. The 32-year-old had a strong May but has struggled for the most part, slashing .183/.226/.329 with seven home runs and 26 RBI playing nearly every day for the Nats.

While this might seem unappealing, there are reasons to believe he'd be better if the Braves scoop him up. First, Rosario would only play against right-handed pitching (he has a .443 OPS against lefties this season). Second, he'd be back in a familiar environment in which he has thrived in the past, and would be surrounded by much more talent, giving him more pitches to hit.

Rosario is far from a perfect player. Braves fans know that better than anybody. He's as streaky as they come at the plate, and isn't great in the field. However, this is a golden opportunity for the Braves to get a potentially impactful player essentially for free.

Give him some run before the trade deadline. If it doesn't work, make a trade. If it does, the Braves can pursue other needs. There is no risk, with the very real chance of some reward by bringing Rosario back to Atlanta.