2023 MLB Trade deadline: Guardians trade shortstop Amed Rosario to LA Dodgers

CLEVELAND — The Guardians cleared the runway at shortstop.

The Guardians traded shortstop Amed Rosario to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

Rosario was one of the focal points of the Guardians' trade deadline considerations. The question at hand: how much offense is worth a lack of defense, and should some of the club's younger options be given more at-bats?

The Guardians need offense wherever they can find it, and any veteran presence on the youngest roster in baseball is probably beneficial, too. At shortstop, both were coming at a premium price at the moment.

The Guardians have until Tuesday at 6 p.m. — Major League Baseball's 2023 trade deadline — to figure out not only which direction they might go (it could very well be both while they balance this season and next), but also what they'll do with a few spots around the roster as they try to chase down the Minnesota Twins.

Will they add a bat in the outfield that could boost the lineup and push Myles Straw into a bench role that best utilizes his defense and speed? Will they add another starting pitcher to help patch together the rotation until Shane Bieber and/or Triston McKenzie can return from the injured list?

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And finally: Would they keep Rosario or move onto other options at shortstop?

Two of those questions were answered in one swing.

During different points this season, Rosario was a key member in the top third of the Guardians lineup while he was racking up three-hit games. Few hitters in the Guardians lineup had as much of an offensive track record, even though Rosario is only 27 years old.

But he wasn't as productive at the plate as he had been in the past. Rosario posted wRC+ seasons of 99 and 103 in 2021 and 2022, respectively, indicating he had been around a league-average hitter. He accrued 2.3-2.5 fWAR in both seasons. After coming to Cleveland in the Francisco Lindor trade, Rosario was a solid staple at shortstop and in the Guardians lineup.

Amed Rosario graded as the worst defensive infielder in baseball in 2023

But in 2023, his wRC+ dipped to 86, indicating he has been 14% below league average. But the real issue: Rosario has been baseball's worst-graded defensive infielder this season. His minus-15 Defensive Runs Saved and minus-12 Fielding Runs Prevented are both last among any qualified infielder.

In 2021 and 2022, his offense was more than enough to make up for his defensive work at shortstop, which couldn't be considered great, but quality enough. In 2023, though, both have been below his previous levels, and he's been worth minus-0.1 fWAR this season, according to FanGraphs.

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Terry Francona noted earlier this season that the Guardians know Rosario is a hitter who can "reach his levels," as the manager likes to so often say. Shortly after that remark, Rosario went on a tear.

The question for the Guardians was how much were they willing to bet on a strong finish at the plate considering his defense hadn't exactly inspired confidence.

Guardians can turn to younger options Tyler Freeman, Gabriel Arias at shortstop

The other factor here was Rosario can be a free agent this winter. He was one of the few players on the roster who wasn't under long-term control.

Tyler Freeman and Gabriel Arias both fit that description, and both are already on the major league roster. In a limited sample, Freeman has hit well, with a .293 average and .723 OPS. Arias has struggled at the plate (.179 average), but the Guardians like his defensive work and utility. Both have carried solid prospect pedigrees.

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Brayan Rocchio, one of the club's top-5 prospects, is also at Triple-A and waiting to make his mark in the majors.

For the Guardians, with Rosario giving them replacement level player performances, a trade became justified in order to see what they have, to a greater extent, in Freeman and Arias, as well as clearing the board a little bit for Rocchio.

Though Rosario's track record, combined with the Guardians' need for offense, must have been enticing for an offense that has struggled at times. It just depended on what kind of hope the Guardians wanted to deploy: in a veteran who has shown at times to be a significant piece to the lineup, or in their unproven options. They chose the latter, a continued trend of leaning into the club's youth movement.

As the trade deadline nears, questions around the catcher position have been answered for the time being via Bo Naylor and David Fry. The remaining positional mysteries: starting pitcher and outfield, now that the shortstop quandary has been solved.

Noah Syndergaard adds depth to an injury-riddled Guardians starting rotation

Syndergaard, 30, is also eligible for free agency, like Rosario. But while a few internal options exist at shortstop, injuries to Bieber, McKenzie and Cal Quantrill pushed the Guardians into the pitching trade market.

Syndergaard is also an interesting case. He's a former Cy Young candidate and an All-Star who has battled injuries and inconsistency for years. The Guardians are taking a high-risk, high-reward swing as they try to solve their depth issues.

He's thrown more than 155 innings only twice in his eight-year major league career. Last season, between the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels, he posted a 3.94 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 134 2/3 innings.

This season has been a struggle for Syndergaard, to say the least. In 55 1/3 innings, he has a 7.16 ERA.

He's been on the injured list since June 8 with, officially, a blister, but is reportedly close to returning.

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Reports: Guardians trade Amed Rosario to Los Angeles Dodgers