With the losses of Ronald Acuna Jr. and Marcell Ozuna, for different reasons, the Atlanta Braves were forced to go to the trade market in order to revive their slim chances of making the playoffs.
They did their homework and didn’t let Acuna’s injury sink them mentally: they brought Adam Duvall, Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, and an under-the-radar pickup that ended up being huge in the stretch run and, especially, in the postseason: Eddie Rosario.
The most impressive thing is what the Braves gave in exchange for Rosario: a 35-year-old Pablo Sandoval, who was hitting a meager .178/.302/.342 with Atlanta.
A Salary Dump Was Gold For The Braves
It was evident that the Cleveland Indians wanted to dump Rosario’s salary.
Not only did the Braves make the playoffs: they took down the favored National League Central champions, the Milwaukee Brewers, three games to one; and then, they eliminated the 2020 champs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in six contests.
Now, back to Rosario.
During the regular season, he didn’t play every day because the Braves had acquired, including him, the four mentioned outfielders at the deadline and there is no designated hitter in the NL.
He made his impact anyway.
With the Indians, Rosario was hitting a lousy .254/.296/.389, but once he changed uniforms and was revitalized by being an important piece and in a playoff race, he slugged .271/.330/.573 for a .903 OPS with the Braves.
He hit seven home runs in just 96 at-bats, and added some much-needed left-handed punch to the Braves’ lineup.
With the help of Rosario and all the pieces they got in the deadline trades, the Braves won the NL East, and the rest is history.
Atlanta might have made the trade of the year, all things considered: they only had to deal a part-timer with virtually no future in the organization, and they got a thumper in his prime who helped them reach the postseason and advance to the World Series.
Exactly how big have been Rosario’s contributions in the playoffs?
Well, they have been huge.
He went 4-for-13 with two RBI in the series against the Brewers: a nice piece, but still nothing out of the ordinary.
A Huge Series
But what he did to the Dodgers, arguably the best team in MLB and the one who eliminated the 107-win San Francisco Giants, was incredible.
Rosario was named the MVP of the NLCS by going 14-for-25 with six runs, three home runs, nine RBI, and a .560/.607/1.040 line for a 1.647 OPS.
Rosario had 26 total bases in six games when all was said and done.
He tied the record for most hits in a single Championship Series, with 14, joining names such as Kevin Youkilis, Hideki Matsui, Marco Scutaro, and Albert Pujols.
The Eddie Rosario Series. pic.twitter.com/ZlYRCL8Jbn
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 24, 2021
Out of those 14 hits, two were absolutely crucial: one of the walk-off variety in Game 2 to give the Braves the victory, and a three-run homer to break a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning in the sixth game.
Eddie Rosario has tied the record for most hits (14) in a single #postseason series.
Marco Scutaro (2012 NLCS)
Kevin Youkilis (2007 ALCS)
Albert Pujols (2004 NLCS)
Hideki Matsui (2004 ALCS) pic.twitter.com/DPaLQNTQfW— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 24, 2021
It was a majestic blast against a top pitcher, Walker Buehler, that seriously changed the outcome of the series.
Lots of trades were completed in 2021, but the acquisition of Rosario really changed the Braves’ season thanks to his huge playoff performances.
NEXT: A Weak NL East Did Not End Up Hurting The Braves