Former Mets player who was dumped by the Dodgers gets DFA'd again on a technicality

The early roster shuffling has begun. Even though the Cincinnati Reds haven’t played a game in a month, they were forced into letting a former New York Mets player reach free agency a few days early.

Amed Rosario had a whacky 2024 season that began by hitting over .300 with the Tampa Bay Rays. On July 29, he was traded by the Rays to the Los Angeles Dodgers. After just 5 games, the Dodgers had healthy players coming back and with a choice between players like Rosario, Tommy Edman, and Enrique Hernandez, they decided to DFA Rosario.

Those letters are familiar to Rosario this year. He was, yet again, designated for assignment by the Reds.

Why did the Reds DFA Amed Rosario when he was already heading into free agency?

Rosario signed a one-year deal worth $1.5 million to play for the Reds. One Dodgers win from now qualifying for a World Series ring, it’s not such a bad adventure for the once promising Mets shortstop prospect. Now more of a second baseman with a tendency to find his way to the outfield plenty, too, the Reds were in a unique situation with their roster.

As Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer explains, Rosario had to be moved off of the roster in order to make room for Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand whose rehab assignments in the Arizona Fall League expired.

Rosario probably wasn’t a player the Reds had much interest in returning anyway. A .158/.186/.211 slash line finished off his otherwise productive year. The uniform changed plenty but some things never did. In 346 plate appearances, Rosario walked only 9 times.

Rosario’s placement on waivers is a futile gesture as neither the Dodgers nor New York Yankees can even claim him to participate in the World Series. Back into the free agent pool for him.

On someone's bench or possibly in a platoon situation as the right-handed hitting half, Rosario should be able to get a major league job. Defensive versatility albeit not a very skilled glove is intriguing enough to fill out a roster.