The Mets signed outfielder Eddie Rosario to a minor league contract, the team’s Triple-A club with Syracuse announced this evening. Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated first reported the agreement on Tuesday (X link). The veteran outfielder elected free agency after being designated for assignment by the Braves over the weekend.
Rosario is now on his third NL East club of the season. He began the year on a minor league deal with the Nationals. Rosario broke camp with Washington, securing a $2MM base salary in the process, and went on to play 67 games. He hit just .183/.226/.329, sandwiching a solid performance in May with almost no production in April or June. The Nats cut Rosario loose when they promoted top prospect James Wood at the start of July.
Atlanta then circled back to their old left fielder. The Braves inked Rosario to a minor league pact and almost immediately called him up. It never seemed likely that Atlanta would get the kind of hot streak that helped propel them to a World Series title three years ago. They were presumably hoping for something close to last year’s league average .255/.305/.450 showing. Rosario’s return to Truist Park did not reinvigorate his bat. He hit .154/.181/.282 through 84 trips to the plate before being released.
This has been a career-worst showing for the 10-year MLB veteran. Rosario carries a .175/.215/.316 slash in 319 plate appearances between the two teams. No hitter with 300+ PAs has a lower on-base mark. Only Mitch Garver (.167) has a lower average, while Rosario is seventh from the bottom in slugging. That makes it difficult for a team to continue affording him big league opportunities, but there’s no downside for New York in taking a minor league flier. Rosario has been a very streaky hitter throughout his career, so the Mets can give him some time with Syracuse to see if he can find his form.
Regardless of whether he makes it to the big leagues in Queens, Rosario will be a free agent next offseason. It’s a depth pickup for the stretch run for a team that is just a game out of the playoff race. The Mets have Brandon Nimmo, Harrison Bader and Jesse Winker as their primary outfield. J.D. Martinez is locked in at designated hitter, while Tyrone Taylor is working as the fourth outfielder. Lefty-hitting Ben Gamel is on the roster as a fifth outfielder/bench bat, while DJ Stewart is on optional assignment to Syracuse. Barring injury, Rosario would presumably need to outplay both Gamel and Stewart to get an opportunity at Citi Field.
Rosario would be eligible for postseason play with New York. A player can participate in the playoffs so long as they’re in that organization by September 1. It is not necessary for the Mets to call Rosario up before that date to get him on the postseason roster; the league routinely allows teams to call players up as injury substitutes if they were playing on a non-roster contract by the start of September. Rosario would really need to catch fire to make that a consideration even if the Mets snag a Wild Card spot.
Ain’t no post-season happening in Queens, when you drop 2 of 3 to Oakland, get swept by Seattle, lose 2 of 3 to the Rockies and Angels.
It is over.
Won the series against the Rockies.
You are correct about the Rockies series. My mistake.
However, I will ultimately be correct about it being over.
what does that say about the dodgers then … the mets have 4 out of 6 against them including a sweep. So does that mean they have no change at the playoffs as well?
The problem is nobody wants that last playoff spot. This is why the playoffs has too many teams.
hasnt the last spot been to the world series or division championship the last couple of years?
That doesn’t mean they deserve it.
Mets6986: What does that even mean?
It’s simple and concrete. If a team makes it, they deserve it.
There’s no deserving or not deserving in an abstract sense.
so is it they dont want it or dont deserve it?
Also i actually like the last spot so it is not nobody and tons love an underdog so i would venture to say a good portion do want to keep it. I guess they could go back to 2 AL and 2 NL teams make the playoffs and then the winner is in the world series or better yet make it the best teams go to the world series no actual playoffs and tilt it more in favor of the big payroll teams.
You can also easily say xxx team doesnt even deserve to be in the league because nobody wants them as they are no good and just trade away players when they become too expensive. and have not been really relevant for quite sometime.
Completely agree. Flags fly forever (but only if you really really deserved it).
It means exactly what I said. The playoffs were water downed and these floundering teams barely over .500 have no business in the playoffs. Just because you are giving something doesn’t mean you deserve it. The Braves or the Mets will probably barely make the playoffs and get hot and make the World Series. Won’t we all enjoy an 84 win team winning it all. Nope.
Who told you flags fly forever? They fly as long as someone cares. Nothing lasts forever. Not even close.
Mets6986: Speak for yourself, even though you display your ignorance when you do.
The postseason system is what it is, and I enjoy it regardless of which team wins and its win-loss record.
Unlike you, I don’t presume to judge teams because of their regular season records.
Did you whine about the Mets not deserving to be in the 1973 World Series because they went 82-79?
You’re such a curmudgeon.
Well you would be the expert in ignorance. I do judge a team on their regular season records. I guess if you can’t gauge a team after 162 games you never will. I didn’t whine about the 1973 Mets team because I wasn’t alive. Really don’t hear that much about them because really they weren’t that good but I guess if your in the playoffs with Seaver and Koosman then you probably advance.
Nothing says your winning an argument when you start name calling.
This isn’t an argument. As a matter of policy, I don’t argue with cranky old dudes. Good luck!
*You’re
Mets6986: You didn’t know about what Jon Matlack did in 1973.
Speaking of, you know, ignorance.
“I guess if you can’t gauge a team after 162 games you never will.”
Then why have a playoffs? You should be making the argument to do away with the playoffs entirely. Whoever has the best record at the end of the 162 game season is the best / winner. No need to “water down” the game with playoffs. Because as you said again.
“I guess if you can’t gauge a team after 162 games you never will.”
I guess everyone should just go to the playoffs and have no regular season. Same argument you just made. I’m making an argument of quality teams in the playoffs. You all want anyone with a pulse in the playoffs. Very rarely does the best team win and that’s a shame. I guess that’s why people hardly watch the playoffs anymore because the product is watered down.
“I’m making an argument of quality teams in the playoffs”
So if the yankees were to lose say judge or soto just before the playoffs would you say that would be a quality team deserving of a playoff spot or unfortunate timing? Without Judge they would not even be in playoff talks if we are being honest in any of their years.
The flip of that with the Phillies from a couple years ago, They didnt have their best player on their team in Harper half the season and what did they do? Harper came back mid season, they were arguably “the best team” but by your definition would not had a playoff spot. How did that end? Oh yeah last 2 years to the NL championship with a World Series appearance and currently NL “Best” record, but they must be non quality watered down team since didnt win the division.
Tortoise and Hare / Spring vs Maration … “Best” teams expend all their energy in the regular season for the best record and come playoff times are used up with no gas and lose it to the marathon “undeserving” teams, Which is truly the best i wonder?
Do you think the Yankees would be a quality team without them? They would be eliminated fairly quickly. Not sure what your point is. The Philles weren’t barely over .500. I don’t know what your argument is. Your arguing teams barely over .500 should be in the playoffs by giving examples that clearly were not that. And FYI the Phillies aren’t the best team in the NL. I would favor any playoff team that plays them.
“I’m making an argument of quality teams in the playoffs”
“Do you think the Yankees would be a quality team without them? They would be eliminated fairly quickly”
So your saying you want quality team or best record. They would have had the best record but the team would be garbage
Best record does not equate to best team or quality. Look at the mets a couple years ago where they were destroying and faltered at the end of the season and lost as a wildcard with 100+ wins. Did they deserve that spot?
” The Philles weren’t barely over .500. ”
The phillies midseason were under 500 and ended up as the 6th seed with a record of 87-75 that year so does that make the 6th seed quality or nah? At the 6th seed went to the world series and even beat a 100+ wins team along the way.
I also said arguably the best because the tear they went on from being 8 under and being 12 over to end that season. If you are referring to best now i said “currently NL ‘Best’ Record.” with 587 winning percent.
Oh btw another major playoff team the dodgers are 1-5 against them or would you not consider dodgers a playoff team?
Roll: Mets6986 doesn’t like being called ignorant, which I get. Nobody does.
But it seems that he says things without thinking through all the repercussions.
If he’s not ignorant, he’s certainly not thorough.
Great the Phillies are awesome? They are 29-29 since June 1st. Don’t get too excited about their playoff prospects. By all means I would rather the Phillies win then the Dodgers so keep beating them.
When there’s only 4 playoff spots per league then only the top payroll teams get in the playoffs
I wonder why the royals, brewers, blue jays, mariners, and tigers (and many more) have had droughts of over 20 years
Weird teams to pick. The Blue Jays and Tigers aren’t small market teams at all. Brewers are in the playoffs almost yearly. Mariners were a top team for two decades in the old system and not the new and the Royals have been to World Series and are competing.
I’m talking about their droughts that happened around the 80s and 90s since the Yankees and Indians and braves (those were the teams on the top of my head) consistently made the playoffs
If you want more teams that had droughts there were the expos, pirates, angels, and so on
Another “Why bother?” moment.
Another “are you sure you know what site you’re on?” moment.
He signed two days ago
i think its official today so technically they signed him today not two days ago. It was reported he was signing with them so he could change his mind or fail the physical.
Al Hirschen: They had nothing about it until I emailed them a link yesterday from a report on Tuesday.
Someone fell asleep at the wheel.
Their secret weapon.
JBJ has a much better shot, imo.
But a no risk move.
The pitching has always been a problem, it’s like they’re playing beat, not many to step up clutch when needed the most, can’t depend on two or three guys all the time, they’re all getting paid good money and should start playing more hungry in this stretch time. The manager needs to learn his pitchers better, if he is really running the show. I hope they can catch fire again like before, right now they can’t hit playoff caliber pitching, but are capable. Let’s go Mets!!!!
It’s amusing that people still think it’s possible for players to ‘turn it on’ if they jusssst care enough.
Starling Marte will come off the IL this week , Gamel will be DFA’d or sent down depending on whether he has options left. Rosario will be AAA depth.
Why don’t the Mets and Braves just agree to share a joint AAA team at this point?
Or just share a joint
The only difference this year bt the Mets and teams like the Cubs or Pirates is that the Mets got unlikely years from four unlikely players, in Bader, Taylor, Iglesias, and Vientos. If they had played to projections the Mets would be 58-62 or 57-63, would not have had the surge they had for seven weeks (it would have been more like 30-24 than 35-19, ie a pleasant stretch but not one that would have had fans salivating over the third wildcard), would not have added at the deadline and might even have sold.
You can add to that, too, the good health the old lineup and old starting pitching has enjoyed.
As it is, AZ and the Padres are all but out of reach, the Mets are 2 GB Atlanta, and there are 2 to 4 teams in hot pursuit. BBRef has the Mets at 24.9% to make the postseason prior to their SPOILER ALERT loss today.
That seems a little high for a team with old pitching and little pitching depth, and an old, regressing lineup.
I think Mets fans might be the only ones NOT saying ‘If we can just make it to the postseason we might get to the World Series—after all, the postseason’s just a crapshoot!’
(fangraphs has it at 18.2% after tonight’s loss)
while i agree on you with most points AZ and SF is still within reach because i dont know many teams that maintain a 9-1 record for long. Also Taylor is about where you expected himas his numbers areabout the same as last year and if anything down from last year, but the other 3 agree. I just didnt expect him to get this much playing time.
I have been saying since the preseason this would probably happen they will have a hot streak around the deadline but in the end they will be right around 500 or so right about 80 wins is where i see them at the end of the season just a few games out of the playoffs. Maybe a couple games more wins with the trades they did as i expected sell off and not buys.
this was going t0 be a transition year and i think thats most expected goal of get to the playoffs especially with senga out now there is really no ace on the staff with manea probably being the closest when in reality most real contenders have 2.
Findng out that they have one of the easier schedules was what really scared me because they bring it for the better teams and dog it for the bad teams. Especially if they face a pitcher for their mlb debut you can pretty much call it a loss for the mets.
Mets got players to over achieve for 35-40 games; these players both pitching and offense played above career numbers. Which getting a team hot happen for 40 games easily but when you looking at trying that for 80-90 games a lot harder.
Mets also didn’t re-enforce with quality at the trade deadline. They brought at the clearance rack; now it is almost impossible for the Mets to have a starter skip a start or go with a 6 man rotation for a bit. As the back end talent level is just so bad.
Now that the Mets have come back to player career type numbers the Mets are having a hard time. I would suspect that the next 3 series after the marlins series which are the orioles; padres and diamondbacks determine the Mets season. I figure the Mets go something like -2-8 / 3-7 and find themselves out of the playoff races.
6-4
Nailed it.