Who is Shohei Ohtani's backup Eddie Rosario? Meet the 2021 NLCS MVP

MLB: Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers - Source: Imagn — Who is Shohei Ohtani's backup Eddie Rosario? Meet the 2021 NLCS MVP - Source: Imagn

The Los Angeles Dodgers are without superstar slugger Shohei Ohtani for the time being as the three-time MVP left the team to be with his wife, Mamiko, who is expecting their first baby.

While the reigning National League MVP is on the paternity list, the Dodgers selected outfielder Eddie Rosario to the roster as a replacement. Right-handed pitcher Edgardo Henriquez was on the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Rosario.

Expand Tweet

Eddie Rosario, hailing from Guayama, Puerto Rico, is an outfielder by trade and was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 2010. He made his MLB debut in 2015 and played for the Twins until 2020.

He signed for the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) in 2021, but was traded to the Atlanta Braves in July same year. The move to Atlanta saw Rosario rise to prominence as he put his current team, the Dodgers, to the sword in the National League Championship series in 2021.

The leftfielder went 14-for-24 in the NLCS with three home runs and nine RBIs against the Dodgers to help the Braves clinch a 4-2 win. He was named the NLCS MVP for his heroics and ended up winning the World Series with Atlanta that year.

In his first game with the Dodgers on Friday, Eddie Rosario replaced Shohei Ohtani as the designated hitter for the team. He went 0-for-2 on his Dodgers debut as the reigning World Series winners shut out the Rangers for a 3-0 win in the series opener.

Dave Roberts updates on Shohei Ohtani's potential return to the lineup

While no timeline has been reported for Shohei Ohtani's return, manager Dave Roberts said he expects the Japanese superstar to join the team sometime later this weekend.

"Yes, there is a chance," Dave Roberts said on Ohtani returning to the team over the weekend. I don't know what day, but there's certainly a chance."

In Shohei Ohtani's absence, second baseman Tommy Edman was named the leadoff hitter for Friday's series opener. Edman rose to the occasion, delivering a solo home run from the lead-off spot against the Rangers. He drove in two runs over three hits with a team-leading seventh home run of the season.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash