Rosario walks it off in 11th, proves importance before Deadline

CLEVELAND -- With the Trade Deadline less than 24 hours away, Guardians shortstop Amed Rosario reminded everyone just how crucial his bat is to this lineup.

With two outs in the bottom of the 11th and two runners on, Rosario served a single into right field to plate Will Benson, who made his Major League debut, lifting the Guardians to a 6-5 victory over the D-backs at Progressive Field on Monday night.

One month ago, Rosario seemed to be a guarantee to be moved by Aug. 2. He only has a year and a half of team control remaining, and because he’s at shortstop, Andrés Giménez has been forced to play second base, keeping the next wave of young middle infielders in the Minors for the time being. All signs were pointing toward moving Rosario in order to free up this backlog that’s started to form.

But now, it’s not so simple.

The Guardians enter Deadline day just one game back of the Twins in the AL Central -- a position very few (if anyone) projected for this team at the beginning of the season. But the same come-from-behind, gritty attitude the team displayed Monday has been the root of Cleveland’s success all season and has now started to cause many to question if it's enough to carry the Guardians to the postseason. But if Rosario’s bat isn’t part of that equation, it certainly will be difficult to continue this momentum.

Rosario, who also hit a two-run homer in the third and finished with three hits, has not only been one of the most consistent hitters for the Guardians this season but one of the steadiest in the Majors. His 12 games with three-or-more hits are tied for the second most of all big leaguers, trailing just Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers (15 games). Rosario has hit safely in 17 of his last 19 games, slashing .361/.384/.494 with eight extra-base hits and 13 RBIs in that span.

Like always, when Rosario is on, the results follow, as Rosario’s average improved to .379 with a .931 OPS in Cleveland wins compared to his .196 average and .515 OPS in losses.

The stats make it clear that Rosario has been a key piece to this young roster. He’s one of the few veteran presences in the clubhouse despite only being 26 years old. He’s made a strong bond with the team’s All-Star in José Ramírez and has done nothing but produce at the top of the order with Steven Kwan. All of this could mean his trade value is sky high. But it all could also mean the team isn’t ready to part ways just yet.

Because the Guardians consistently try to focus on the present and the future simultaneously, they’re always tasked with answering tough questions. There’s no guarantee that Rosario will remain on the roster because the club has proven countless times that if it receives the right return package, it will move whoever it needs to move. But because he’s been so impactful for this lineup, Cleveland will have to think twice before making any decision, especially if having success in 2022 is still high on the priority list.

“I feel as a group, it doesn’t seem like it bothers us at all, especially the way how they played and have been playing the last couple of days,” Rosario said through team interpreter Agustin Rivero, regarding the Trade Deadline. “In particular to me, I just completely block it [out]. I just focus on my game.”

With the Deadline looming, Rosario put all his focus on the game, recording his fourth career walk-off hit Monday night. He entered the day hitting .344 in the ninth inning or later this season -- the perfect bat to have in the final two months of the season for a team that thrives in the late innings of games.

“It’s the best energy to play,” Rosario said. “You always want to have that vibe and that energy. It’s easier to play in. And I have the belief that when you play hard, the game is hard itself, but the game will always reward you.”