Atlanta Braves: Eddie Rosario Sets Sight on October

The Atlanta Braves owe Eddie Rosario suffered blurred vision at the beginning of the season. He is seeing clearly as the postseason approaches.

The Atlanta Braves acquired Eddie Rosario at the trade deadline last season as they made their miraculous push for the 2021 World Title. Rosario, like many of the other acquisitions, was spectacular and was a key ingredient in the recipe for the 2021 World Series Champions. In 33 regular season games with Atlanta, he posted a .903 OPS in ’21.

As great as he was in a Braves uniform in the regular season, he was even better in the postseason. He slugged .617 with a 1.073 OPS, bringing home the NLCS MVP.

His short time with Atlanta in 2021 was enough to forever leaves his name etched in the granite of Braves lore. So when he re-signed with Atlanta this past offseason, Braves fans were thrilled.

Unfortunately, the magic appeared to have dried up at the beginning of the 2022 season. It was evident something was wrong. Through April 24th, Rosario was hitting .068 with three errors, including a fly ball he just missed… like he couldn’t see it.

As it would turn out, Rosario was having vision problems. He went to the optometrist under the impression that a contact lens would help and he left with a diagnosis that would send him to the IR. He required corrective laser surgery.

Rosario returned to the team on the Fourth of July. Between July 4 and the end of August, he was better but only posted a .227 average with a .650 SLG.

It appears he has shaken the rust off in the month of September. Rosario has been hitting the ball with confidence and authority. Since September 11 he has slashed .390/.419/.561.

Is Rosario back to form? What was his form? Take a look at his career numbers. Between 2017 and 2019, Rosario was healthy enough to play a minimum of 131 games in each season. During that time he posted a .284 average with a .496 slugging percentage. HIs 162-game average put him on a pace for 31 doubles, 28 homers, and 88 runs batted in.

Rosario Ready for Postseason?

If September’s performance is any indication, he’s cleared the cobwebs and is prepared for October. I can’t find the reference, but I believe I heard him quoted on a Braves’ radio broadcast as saying that he “smells October.”

Whether this quote can actually be attributed to him or not, it certainly seems to ring true. No matter which senses he’s using, seeing, smelling… it’s looking good.

If the Braves plan on defending their World Championship in 2022, they will need a hot bat from Rosario as they enter postseason play.

Hopefully, he can keep it going as they enter this crucial series with the Mets on Friday.

May the legend of Rosario go forth.

Can you envision Eddie Rosario making a major impact in this year’s postseason? Let your words be seen in the comments below!