The consensus speculation seems to be that the Twins will be looking into trading their popular left fielder Eddie Rosario for pitching this offseason. The logic goes like this: Eddie Rosario has produced in the past, but he is the weakest link in an outfield that has been very good and has reinforcements coming.
In a perfect scenario, the Twins would be able to move Rosario for a useful major league pitcher, but that doesn’t seem like a plausible possibility. Corner outfielders who can hit for some power are not a commodity in short supply, and Rosario’s remaining contract suggests that he doesn’t provide a future building block for a potential suitor.
The fact that any trade value Rosario has is tied to his current production doesn’t bode especially well for the Twins either. He averages just over 2 WAR per season, and in his 5 years, only has two seasons that he’s actually eclipsed two wins. The sad fact is, there aren’t many teams that will look at Rosario as a definite upgrade in the corner.
The Twins might be the team that find Rosario to be the most valuable, simply thanks to his clubhouse presence and the personal connections he has with his teammates and the organization. Certainly, fans of the team have grown to enjoy Super Rosario’s attitude and effort, but a team that is looking for an extra bat probably won’t value his raw statistical output.
Instead of adding a significant piece in a Rosario trade, it’s more likely that if he is dealt, it will be because the Twins are simply seeking whatever they can get to open up a spot in the outfield or on the roster in general for someone like Alex Kiriloff or Royce Lewis.
If they are really interested in getting a premium starting pitcher, it’s going to cost a lot more than just Eddie Rosario.
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