What the Yankees Trade for This Utility Player Means for Their Future

MLB

Last night, the New York Yankees acquired utility infielder and outfielder Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals. The Yankees gave up pitcher Clayton Beeter, as well as 18-year-old outfielder Browm Martinez, to get the deal done. In five Major League appearances, Beeter is 1-0 with a 9.82 ERA. Browm is currently playing in the Dominican Summer League in his second season since signing as an international free agent, and is batting .404 in 18 games. In the wake of the injury to Aaron Judge, Rosario can bring a much-needed utility role to the team and give the outfield some flexibility. 

This season with the Nationals, Rosario has batted .270 with eight doubles, 18 RBIs, and five home runs in 46 games. Rosario’s best strength by far is his ability to hit lefties. This season, he’s batted .299 with an .816 OPS against lefties. The past few seasons, Rosario has been traded to championship-caliber teams, so this is a familiar situation for him. While this move was not particularly a flashy one, the Yankees were in need of a right-handed bat, and his ability to hit the ball will certainly elevate the lineup. 

His arrival likely signals the end of Oswald Peraza’s tenure with the Yankees. Peraza, who has batted just .152 with three home runs over 70 games this season, struggled both offensively and defensively. Rosario is mostly an infielder and will back up Ryan McMahon at third after his acquisition on Friday. With a stacked outfield, even with Judge’s injury, Rosario most likely won’t see too many reps out there, especially since his defense is not on par with the rest of the Yankees outfield. Now that the Yankees have solved their third base dilemma, they will shift to looking for a pitcher on the market, especially after their pitching meltdowns in the first two games of the series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Strengthening both the bullpen and the starting rotation will be the next step as they look to build upon their wins and try to fight back against the Toronto Blue Jays for the top of the American League East. 

Kennedy Jones

Kennedy Jones is a junior at Penn State University studying digital and print journalism with a minor in sports studies. She is a die-hard New York sports fan always looking for someone to share her opinions with.

Previous
Previous

Chiefs Begin Preparing for Life After Travis Kelce

Next
Next

Jaguars Third-Year Receiver Is Making Some Noise at Camp