With MLB's non-tender deadline set for Wednesday at 5 p.m. PT, a perennial power hitter reportedly has become available. The player certainly fits a need for the Giants, too.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday night that the Minnesota Twins placed outfielder Eddie Rosario on outright waivers. Rosenthal reported the Twins tried to trade Rosario but teams didn't want to pay Rosario his arbitration salary, which is estimated at just under $10 million.
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If Rosario goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent. And the Giants should take a serious look at signing him.
Rosario, 29, is in his last year of arbitration. He has taken a step back defensively but immediately would fill a need for the Giants as a power-hitting left-handed bat.
In the shortened 60-game season, Rosario hit .257 with 13 home runs and had a .792 OPS over 57 games. He received AL MVP votes each of the past two seasons, and averaged 28 homers, a .284 batting average, .813 OPS and 114 OPS+ from 2017 through 2019. While much of Rosario's success in the last few seasons has come from a high BABIP, he did have a career-high 8.2 percent walk rate.
The Giants have a long list of viable outfielders in Mike Yastrzemski, Mauricio Dubon, Alex Dickerson, Austin Slater and Darin Ruf, plus the arrival of prospect Heliot Ramos. Dickerson and Yastrzemski are the only left-handed bats among that group, and Dickerson is best served as a platoon player with Slater. Rosario is a .277 career hitter against right-handed pitchers. While his power goes down, he has the same .277 career average against lefties as well.
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Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has stated San Francisco's need for another left-handed bat in the outfield. Well, it looks like one could fall right into Zaidi's lap with the availability of Rosario. Though he has his defensive limitations, Rosario hitting balls into McCovey Cove sure would be a happy sight for Giants fans.
This feels like a Zaidi move, one the Giants' front office should take a long look at.