The Atlanta Braves historic 2021 trade deadline included an under-the-radar trade for Eddie Rosario. The eventual NLCS MVP.
The Eddie Rosario trade for the Atlanta Braves was one of the more under-the-radar moves in the entire league last season. The Braves would trade Pablo Sandoval to Cleveland for Eddie Rosario and cash.
Outside of a few early season heroic moments, Sandoval was providing very little value, if any at all, for the Braves. He was a candidate to be Designated for Assignment, which is what Cleveland did immediately after acquiring him.
Rosario was struggling for Cleveland, hitting .254/.296/.389 with 7 HR, 29 R, 46 RBI, 9 SB, .295 wOBA, and 86 wRC+. Performing below his career marks. Rosario was also injured at the time of the trade.
However, it was puzzling that Cleveland did choose to move him for Panda. It made sense to move him, but not for an aging veteran that would immediately be released.
It worked out for the Braves.
Rosario would hit .271/.330/.573 with 7 HR, 13 R, 16 RBI, 2 SB, .375 wOBA, and 133 wRC+ in 33 regular season games. He added 0.6 fWAR in 33 games, which is a 2.9 fWAR pace over 162 games.
While he performed exceptionally well during the regular season, he would become an Atlanta legend during the postseason. He would hit .383/.456/.617 with 3 HR, 11 R, 11 RBI, 1 SB, .451 wOBA, and 182 wRC+ during the 2021 postseason run to a World Series crown.
This includes single-handedly tormenting the Dodgers on the way to an NLCS MVP award. Rosario in the NLCS hit .560/.607/1.040 with 3 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 6 R, and 9 RBI in 6 games. He led the team with a 1.10 wPA and 18.83% cWPA during the NLCS.
Pretty good for a guy the Braves got for next to nothing.
He would end up returning to Atlanta, and while an eye injury caused a slow start, the hope is he can continue being a steady presence in the lineup.
Even if that is not the case, Rosario will forever remain a Braves legend with his special postseason performance. One of the best trades of all time brought us the legend of Super Rosario.