The Cleveland Indians signed Eddie Rosario to a one-year deal this past offseason.
For this team, that instantly made him a trade candidate from the moment the inked dried.
Rosario enters the second half nursing an abdominal strain, but isn’t expected to be out long.
That means he should return before the trade deadline, which is July 30.
At this point in time he does not stand out as someone who would draw a huge return.
However, he still has a strong overall career resume and would only show up as a rental.
Let’s look at the possibility of a Rosario trade being made.
Can He Be Traded?
The simple answer to this is yes, yes he can.
A point of comparison is what the Chicago Cubs just got in return for trading Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves.
Cubs news: Joc Pederson traded to Atl for minor league first baseman Bryce Ball
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) July 16, 2021
Rosario, like Pederson, would likely bring one or two minor leaguers back in return.
He is still only 29 years old and hit 32 home runs back in 2019 with the Minnesota Twins.
Rosario is also still a positive-WAR player in 2021, and could be a nice extra piece on a contending team in need of outfield help.
His .685 OPS is not going to drum up major demand, but adding him as a fourth outfielder for a playoff push in exchange for one prospect would not be a wild idea.
Will He Be Traded?
If you have noticed, a lot of your favorite artists are going on tour this summer.
The Eddie Rosario Revenge Tour began on Thursday and continued yesterday.#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/ZQGTqhWN7j
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) June 26, 2021
The Indians should and likely will strongly consider a Rosario trade no matter what happens over the next two weeks.
He is playing at an average level with his 0.5 WAR and the Indians already have a full list of outfielders who could step in and provide comparable production to 2021 Rosario.
What about Nolan Jones?
The Indians could save several million dollars by moving Rosario while developing the organization’s top prospect at the same time.
That plan is hard to argue with.
There is just no real strong reasoning to keep Rosario around if there is zero chance of retaining him next season and the constant goal is to save money.
So this decision ultimately comes down to what the front office is thinking and what ownership will allow in terms of spending.
If savings aren’t on the immediate agenda, Rosario can be kept around with the hope of him bouncing back and leading a charge toward the postseason.
However, this organization has operated in such a specific way for so long that a trade seems far more likely.
A Rosario trade would also not signal some big sell-off by the Indians, but rather both sides agreeing it is just not a good fit and moving on.
If the Indians come out of the gates losing, then a trade is only a matter of time.
But even if they get off to a hot start, fans should not be shocked if Rosario and even players like Cesar Hernandez or Bryan Shaw are moved.
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