Washington Nationals Cut Ties With Eddie Rosario After Officially Promoting James Wood

While the arrival of top prospect James Wood has made plenty of headlines, the Washington Nationals made another big move by designating World Series champion outfielder Eddie Rosario for assignment.

Jun 8, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Eddie Rosario (8) rests after sliding into third base against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Nationals Park. / Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Nationals have designated outfielder Eddie Rosario for assignment, the team announced Monday.

Rosario was removed from the 26 and 40-man rosters in order to make room for outfielder James Wood, who has been called up to make his MLB debut. Wood is the No. 1 prospect in Washington's farm system and the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball.

Over the next seven days, Rosario will either get claimed on waivers, traded or released.

The Nationals signed Rosario to a split contract in March, guaranteeing him a $2 million payday when he made the big league roster. Rosario was fresh off hitting .255 with 21 home runs, 74 RBI, a .755 OPS and a 1.1 WAR with the Atlanta Braves in 2023.

Rosario hasn't come anywhere near that level of production in 2024, batting .183 with seven home runs, 26 RBI, a .555 OPS and a -1.1 WAR through 67 games.

Depending on where Rosario goes next, as well as how he gets there, the Nationals could be on the hook for his full $2 million salary. He also had $2 million available in incentives based on how much time he spent at the MLB level, and it remains to be seen where he landed on those.

Rosario was once a standout for the Minnesota Twins, finishing sixth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2015 and earning scattered AL MVP votes in both 2019 and 2020. He hit .277 with a .788 OPS across six seasons in Minnesota, averaging 28 home runs, 90 RBI and a 2.8 WAR per 162 games.

From there, Rosario went to the Cleveland Guardians, then to Atlanta. He won NLCS MVP in 2021, playing a key role for the Braves on their way to a World Series championship. In 16 appearances that postseason, Rosario hit .383 with three home runs, 11 RBI and a 1.073 OPS.

That was nearly three years ago now, though, and Rosario will soon have to look elsewhere for his next landing spot. The number of teams willing to free up a roster spot for a 32-year-old veteran with a batting average beneath the Mendoza Line may be limited, but his track record could convince a team to take a flier on him.

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