Rosario to miss 8-12 weeks due to eye procedure

ATLANTA -- Eddie Rosario went to an eye doctor thinking he might need contact lenses. He exited this visit knowing he will not return to the Braves' lineup any time soon.

Rosario will miss eight to 12 weeks while recovering from a laser procedure to correct blurred vision and swelling in his right eye. Surgery was recommended after the outfielder visited a retinal specialist on Monday.

“He’s a young man with a family,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “That’s kind of a serious thing if your eyes are bothering you."

Rosario -- who was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Monday -- has gone 3-for-44 with a double this year. He informed the club of his vision issues on Sunday, but he still felt fine to enter as a pinch-hitter in that afternoon’s loss to the Marlins.

Snitker said the team doesn’t know what might have caused Rosario’s blurred vision or exactly when the issue began to affect the outfielder. But the veteran skipper said the ailment certainly could explain the 2021 National League Championship Series MVP’s rough start.

“A little bit of eye problems in baseball is a lot,” Snitker said.

Rosario is expected to undergo the procedure on Wednesday.

With Rosario sidelined, Marcell Ozuna, Orlando Arcia and Guillermo Heredia could all see time in left field. Ronald Acuña Jr. will play right field when he makes his expected return next week.

As a corresponding roster move, the Braves recalled right-hander William Woods from Triple-A Gwinnett. Woods, 23, has yet to make his Major League debut. He has a 4.40 career ERA in 41 Minor League games (17 starts) since 2018, including a 7.04 mark this season, though he turned in 2 2/3 scoreless innings since being promoted to Triple-A last week. Woods is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the organization's No. 21 prospect.