Yankees should trade for Dodgers' lefty masher after bizarrely abrupt DFA

As shocking as it was for the Yankees not to add Amed Rosario at the trade deadline, despite reportedly scouting him in the offseason and flailing against left-handed starters in the first half, it was even more shocking to see how the Dodgers treated him on Monday.

With an impending roster crunch looming as Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman and Max Muncy worked their way through rehab assignments, the Dodgers opted for the most confusing move first, keeping Nick Ahmed around a few extra days and DFAing Rosario. The utility infielder spent the second half of 2023 in Los Angeles, too, and was reacquired at this year's deadline, making his Dodgers debut on Aug. 2.

Ultimately, he played five games in Dodger Blue before being exiled from the clubhouse, carrying a .306 average and 113 OPS+ onto the waiver wire.

Against left-handers, those numbers only increase. Given the Yankees and Dodgers have already worked together on both Victor González and Caleb Ferguson this calendar year, it wouldn't be surprising whatsoever if they managed to engineer a third collaboration.

Yankees could target Amed Rosario for infield help vs. left-handers

Let's just say he's a bit more appealing than Ahmed.

Adding Rosario to the Yankees' roster was a simpler sell when Jahmai Jones was occupying the team's final bench spot, and decidedly less so now that Oswaldo Cabrera has heated up a bit as a roving infield option (and so has DJ LeMahieu). But if LeMahieu's going to both deliver more often and occupy first base, maybe Ben Rice gets the boot? Or maybe it's Cabrera, who provides the Yankees plenty of energy, but contributes far more against right-handers (.264 with a .735 OPS) than lefties (.194/.493).

This is an imperfect process, but the Dodgers clearly liked plenty about Rosario's profile just two weeks ago. Unfortunately, he succumbed to a numbers game, and whichever team claims him is going to get a piece that MLB's gold standard team believed could make a postseason impact all the way back on July 30. It's not even Aug. 15 yet. It could certainly be worth finding room for such a player.