Rosario to Twins fans: 'It was a privilege'

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins said that they would remain in discussions with Eddie Rosario after they non-tendered him at last week's deadline, but a reunion appears unlikely after Rosario posted a farewell message to Twins fans on Instagram on Monday.

"Today I would like to thank the Minnesota Twins organization for the opportunity they provided me with for 10 years," Rosario wrote alongside a highlight reel of his biggest moments with the Twins. "I will always be grateful to the organization, it was a privilege to wear the Twins uniform and to be part of so many learning experiences and lessons on the field, some challenging but very rewarding for my development as a baseball player."

Minnesota is the only organization that Rosario has ever known as a professional ballplayer. The club drafted him from his hometown of Guayama, Puerto Rico, in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft, and he steadily rose through the system until he debuted with a homer in his first career plate appearance in 2015. Rosario quickly locked down the starting job in left field, where he made five consecutive Opening Day starts from 2016-20. No other left fielder had earned that many Opening Day nods in club history.

Rosario clubbed at least 10 homers in each of his six seasons, including 24 or more in three of those campaigns. He received MVP votes in 2019 and '20, and he's been the Twins' RBI leader since his debut, with 388.

He quickly became a fan favorite in Minneapolis due to his energy, penchant for big homers and steady stream of outfield assists. It wasn't unusual to hear chants of "Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!" ring down from the left-field bleachers after a big defensive play or a game-changing blast.

With that said, Rosario's free-swinging tendencies led to low on-base rates, and his quickly rising salary in arbitration (he was due a raise from his $7.75 million last season) combined with the continued development of the Twins' top outfield prospects -- Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach and Brent Rooker -- pushed Rosario off the roster at the non-tender deadline. Rooker's power bat and Kirilloff's pure hitting ability could be counted on to make up for Rosario's lost production in '21.

"I'll take all of this with great affection in my heart," Rosario continued. "To all my teammates, a lot of admiration and respect, they know I love them. And to all my fans thank you very much for all your support and affection."