The Atlanta Braves' last few roster spots are becoming a musical chairs game, and lots of key figures in recent franchise history are getting lost in the shuffle.
On Apr. 28, the Braves signed outfielder Eddie Rosario to a major league contract, marking the third stint in the organization for the 2021 National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player.
Each stint has now been shorter than the last, as Rosario didn't last two weeks with the big-league club.
On Friday, the Braves announced that Rosario had been designated for assignment, with utility player Luke Williams called up from Triple-A to take his spot on the active roster.
In the time he was on the Braves roster this season, Rosario got all of four plate appearances. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and a run scored. He also played just eight innings in the outfield.
Rosario isn't the only longtime Brave in limbo with the club this season. 41-year-old reliever Jesse Chavez has re-signed with the team three times in the last two months, and 27-year-old starter Ian Anderson was traded to the Los Angeles Angels, re-signed off waivers, DFA'd again, and outrighted to Triple-A.
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The 33-year-old Rosario was a major figure in the Braves' World Series title run in 2021, hitting three clutch home runs and finishing October with a 1.073 OPS. He was also a productive starter for the Braves as recently as 2023, when he hit 21 home runs in 142 games.
But baseball happens fast, and Rosario has now been discarded by four organizations in the last year, including twice by the Braves. He faces a long road back to the big leagues, though he could head to Triple-A if he goes unclaimed on waivers and elects to stay in the Atlanta organization.
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