Rosario signs two-year deal
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves have signed outfielder Eddie Rosario, the MVP of their National League Championship Series triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers last fall, to a two-year contract with $18 million guaranteed.
The reigning World Series champions added more depth to their outfield by signing Alex Dickerson to a one-year deal for $1 million that is not guaranteed.
The deals came one day after the team signed newly acquired first baseman Matt Olson to an eight-year contract worth $168 million. That same day, the Braves added former Tampa Bay Rays right-handed pitcher Collin McHugh via a $10 million, two-year deal.
Atlanta general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Tuesday he hoped to have his roster finalized by Friday and that he expected more moves along the way.
Rosario is an important addition to an outfield that may be without right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr., who continues to recover from knee surgery, for the first month of the season. The Braves have said they won’t rush the return of Acuña, who is in camp for the start of spring training.
Rosario, 30, will make $9 million each of the next two seasons. He will donate 1% of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation. The deal includes a club option for 2024 with no buyout. Acquired from Cleveland on July 30, Rosario hit .271 with seven home runs in 33 regular-season games with Atlanta, which won its fourth straight NL East Division title with help from an outfield rebuilt by moves made just before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline.
Rosario’s biggest highlights with the Braves came in the postseason. In the NLCS, when the Braves ended the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bid to repeat as World Series champions by winning in six games, he hit .560 with three homers while driving in nine runs and scoring six runs.
Rosario also had an 11-game hitting streak in the postseason, hitting .383.
Dickerson, 31, hit .233 with 13 homers in 111 games last season with the San Francisco Giants, who won the NL West and led Major League Baseball with 107 wins in the regular season but lost to the wild-card Dodgers in an NL Division Series.
Atlanta dealt four of its top 20 prospects, including outfielder Cristian Pache and catcher Shea Langeliers, to the Oakland Athletics for 27-yearold Atlanta native Olson on Monday after it became apparent the team could not re-sign free agent Freddie Freeman, the five-time All-Star and 2020 NL MVP. The Braves also surrendered pitchers Ryan Cusick, a 2021 first-round pick, and Joey Estes.
Freeman remains unsigned, but in a social media post Wednesday he thanks Atlanta fans their support during his 15 years as part of the Braves’ organization.
The Braves on Wednesday also agreed to a $900,000, oneyear contract with right-hander Tyler Thornburg that is not guaranteed.
Thornburg, 33, missed the 2021 season after Tommy John surgery. He pitched in only seven games for the Cincinnati Reds in 2020 before spraining his right elbow. He has also played for the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox in his eight-year MLB career.
A pair of Atlanta pitchers, Mike Soroka and Tyler Yates, were moved to the 60-day injured list to clear spots on the 40-man roster.