Recently DFA'd player would strengthen a weakness for the Cardinals

On Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers designated infielder Amed Rosario for assignment. Rosario, 28, was recently acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays prior to the deadline.

Mookie Betts's return from injury was the corresponding move in this roster transaction. Rosario had been slashing .273/.333/.364 since the Dodgers acquired him, so his lack of production compared to his time with Tampa Bay likely led to the Dodgers wanting to designate him.

On the season, Rosario is slashing .305/.331/.415 with a wRC+ of 114. He has just two home runs, 28 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 287 plate appearances. Rosario is walking only 2.8% of the time, and he's striking out at a 17.4% clip. The offensive stats are a bit scattered for the righty, but he's been relatively consistent this year at getting hits, something the Cardinals could use at the bottom of their lineup.

Rosario has played a fair amount of time at shortstop this year, but he's also seen time at second base, third base, and right field. Rosario grades out as a negative defender at these positions, but he's been at least neutral according to defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rating this year at shortstop.

Where Rosario will provide a benefit to the Cardinals is in his platoon splits. The right-handed hitter is slashing .327/.355/.462 against left-handed pitchers for a wRC+ of 133 this year. He has a .125 ISO, and his strikeout rate is 3% lower in these instances compared to situations against right-handed pitchers.

Rosario would be a huge boost to a lineup that is desperate for some production against left-handed pitching even after Jordan Walker's recent promotion. His defensive versatility allows him to slot into a variety of places on days where a southpaw is on the mound against the Cardinals; he could replace any one of Nolan Gorman, Alec Burleson, or Lars Nootbaar.

The issue comes with making a spot on the roster for Rosario. Should the Cardinals entertain this idea, the most likely candidate to leave the roster is probably Nolan Gorman. However, I would propose Brandon Crawford receives the boot. At this point in the year, Crawford doesn't provide much value on the roster outside of his leadership abilities. Amed Rosario could feasibly be a backup shortstop for Masyn Winn, and Rosario's numbers are better than Crawford's across the board.

Since the trade deadline has passed, Rosario must pass through waivers for a team to claim him. Waivers are done via team record in either league. At the moment, the Pirates, Reds, Cubs, and Rays stand in the way of the Cardinals acquiring Rosario. He'll be owed $387,000 for the remainder of the season, a paltry total for a player who could fill an immediate need for the Redbirds.