The struggles of former Atlanta Braves hero prove that Anthopoulos took the correct decision

The Braves moved on from the 2021 NLCS MVP this offseason, and it appears they made the right decision.

At the outset of the 2023-2024 offseason, Alex Anthopoulos and the Atlanta Braves faced a decision. Will they execute Eddie Rosario’s $9 million club option, or not?

The decision was not as obvious. On the one hand, Eddie Rosario had had a decent, albeit streaky, season. He possessed a 100 wRC+ and was worth 1.2 fWAR. If Rosario replicated his 2023 output in 2024, the $9 million price tag would be right on target.

On the other hand, the Braves might use the LF spot to identify a higher-potential talent and possibly upgrade the position at a reduced cost.

Ultimately, the team elected to decline the option, leaving the 2021 NLCS MVP a free agent. He then signed a contract with the Washington Nationals. However, after just one month of the 2024 MLB season, it’s clear the Braves made the right call.

How has Eddie Rosario performed for the 2024 Washington Nationals?

Eddie Rosario has performed poorly for the Washington Nationals thus far. When he joined with the Nationals, the left-handed outfielder appeared to be able to bring experienced presence and a league-average bat to a rebuilding squad.

Unfortunately, he has not performed at league average levels. Rosario has slashed in 69 plate appearances spread across 20 games.094/.145/.172 yields a -12 wRC+. His defense has also been below average, with a fielding run value of -1. Despite this, the Nationals have insisted on playing him in center field for the vast majority of his innings.

Even worse, he hasn’t been particularly unfortunate with the bat. The former Braves had the fourth-worst xwOBA in the league.

Meanwhile, Adam Duvall and Jarred Kelenic have done well for the Braves. Atlanta has 0.5 fWAR from their LF position entering Saturday’s game against the Guardians, and the two have a combined wRC+ of 113.

Thankfully, it appears that the Braves front office did their homework when deciding on Eddie Rosario this offseason, and it’s paying off for the Braves.