CLEVELAND – Eddie Rosario has gone from hammering to helping the Indians.
The free-agent outfielder, who spent the past six seasons with the Minnesota Twins, agreed to a one-year $ 8 million contract with the Cleveland Indians on Friday, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
According to sources, Rosario’s contract is pending the completion of a physical contract.
The Indians know 29-year-old Rosario well. He was a nemesis to AL Central rival Twins, hitting more career homers (22 in 93 games) against Cleveland than any other team. He hit 11 of those homers at Progressive Field, his most on any road terrain.
Earlier Friday, the Indians signed a one-year, $ 5 million contract with free-agent second baseman Cesar Hernandez, who was a solid free-agent pickup in 2020 when he won his first Gold Glove.
Rosario is a huge asset to Cleveland’s outfield, which has been a problem for the past two seasons as the team has deployed a pack of players.
After Indians sent All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and starter Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets earlier this month and cut more than $ 30 million from their payroll, Chris Antonetti, the team’s president of baseball operations, tried some outraged Cleveland fans by pledging to put money back into the selection.
He has done that by bringing Hernández back and acquiring Rosario, who will provide the necessary pop to manager Terry Francona’s lineup after losing Lindor and Carlos Santana.
Rosario had his best season in 2019, reaching career highs with 32 homers and 109 RBI’s in 137 games. During the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he hit .257 with 13 homeruns and drove 42 runs in 57 games.
Qualifying for his third and final year of arbitration, Rosario became a free agent a season earlier after the Twins refused to offer him a 2021 contract. A lefthanded batter has a .277 career average with 119 homers and 388 RBIs.
Hernandez’s deal with the Indians includes a $ 6 million club option in 2022 with no buyout.
Hernández, 30, was invaluable last season. He led the AL with 20 doubles and helped the Indians secure a wild card berth. He hit .283 with three homers, 20 RBI’s and 35 runs in 58 games.
Cleveland acquired mid-infielders Amed Rosario and Andrés Giménez from the Mets in the January 7 trade of Lindor, a four-time All-Star who entered his senior year under contract and turned down numerous long-term offers.
MLB Network first reported the Rosario deal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.