The Dodgers announced Monday that theyve reinstated from the 60-day injured list and created space in somewhat surprising fashion: infielder/outfielder and trade deadline acquisition has been designated for a signment. Rosario, 28, was acquired in a trade sending 28-year-old minor league reliever back to the Rays. It wasnt a steep price to pay nece sarily, but its neverthele s unexpected to see Los Angeles move on in such quick fashion. The versatile Rosario received only 12 plate appearances in his second stint with Los Angeles the Dodgers also acquired him at the 2023 deadline and has hit well all season. In 287 plate appearances between Tampa Bay and L.A., hes slashing .305/.331/.415 about 14% better than league-average, by measure of wRC+. Dodgers bra s was largely choosing among Rosario, and when determining who would be the odd man out to clear way for Betts return. Hernandez has struggled badly in 2024 overall, but a well-timed hot streak has ostensibly saved his spot on the roster. Hes hitting .333/.405/.545 in 37 plate appearances this month. Ahmed has posted an empty .268 batting average in 42 plate appearances (.268/.286/.341, 77 wRC+), but hes a high-end defender at shortstop. With Betts returning to right field, keeping an elite middle infield defender like Ahmed apparently won out over keeping a more productive but le s valuable defensive piece in Rosario. The veteran Rosario signed an eminently affordable one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Rays over the winter, looking to rebound from a career-worst showing with the Guardians and Dodgers last year. After spending years as the primary shortstop in Cleveland, hes moved to a utility role thats seen him log time at shortstop, second base, third base and in right field this season. Hes drawn poor defensive grades in general and has never been regarded as a high-quality glove at shortstop at the big league level. Rosario has been productive at the plate, however, and thats particularly true against lefties, who hes tagged for an impre Chris Clemons Jersey sive .327/.355/.462 line in 2024. Between his light contract, offensive production and his growing experience at multiple positions, Rosario stands a far greater chance of being claimed by another team than most veterans who are designated for a signment this time of year. The trade deadline has pa sed, so the only option the Dodgers will have is to place Rosario on outright waivers or release waivers. Itd be another, more modest surprise if he pa sed through unclaimed. With that in mind, its worth noting that outright waiver order is determined by the reverse order of the MLB-wide standings and is not league-specific. Thats a common misconception, but league-specific waivers pertained to the now-defunct August trade waiver proce s. (MLBTR has confirmed this with league sources on multiple occasions.) Since Rosario is a free agent at the end of the year, its likely that rebuilding clubs and others whose postseason hopes have faded will allow him to pa s through. At the moment, waiver priority among postseason hopefuls (using an admittedly arbitrary criteria of fewer than six games back in either a division race or Wild Card chase) would be ranked: Pirates, Reds, Cubs, Rays, Giants, Cardinals, Mets, Braves, Red Sox, Mariners, Astros, Royals, Padres, D-backs, Twins, Brewers, Guardians, Phillies, Yankees and Orioles. As of this writing, Rosario is still owed $387K of this years salary. Any team that claims him would be on the hook for the full sum, whereas the Dodgers would be spared that sum plus the 110% tax as a third-time luxury payor. Overall, waiving Rosario could save the Dodgers about $813K a suming hes claimed. As for Betts, hell return to his customary right field and add another former MVP to the top of the Dodgers lineup, slotting into between fellow former MVPs (leadoff) and (No. 3 hitter). Betts gives manager Dave Roberts a right-handed bat to break up that pair of imposing lefties, and Betts of course is among the more feared hitters in the sport when healthy. Prior to the fractured hand that cost him the past eight-plus weeks, Betts was hitting .304/.405/.488 with 10 homers, 16 doubles, three triples, nine steals (in 10 tries), a 14.2% walk rate and just a 10.3% strikeout rate. With Betts now back in right field, the Dodgers will play regularly at shortstop and at second base, with the aforementioned Hernandez an option to back up Lux (especially against lefties) and Ahmed providing a glove-first backup at shortstop. Rick Barry Jersey