Yankees bring back utilityman Amed Rosario on 1-year, $2.5 million deal
The Yankees' Amed Rosario looks on against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on July 29. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Yankees on Saturday brought back another player from last year’s club not named Cody Bellinger.
In this case, it was valuable utilityman Amed Rosario, who played well for the Yankees — especially when it came to crushing lefthanded pitching — after coming over via trade before the 2025 deadline.
Rosario, 30, agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal, a source confirmed. He figures to have a role similar to the one he had last season after the Yankees acquired him from the Nationals.
Rosario, who hit .302 with an .819 OPS in 116 at-bats against lefthanded pitching in 2025 and is a .298 hitter with an .800 OPS vs. lefties in his nine-year career, appeared defensively at five positions for the Nationals — third base, shortstop, second base and the corner outfield spots.
The former Met figures to get most of his playing time, at least at the start of the season, platooning at third base with Ryan McMahon. The lefthanded-hitting McMahon played Gold Glove-caliber defense at third but struggled at the plate after the Yankees acquired him from the Rockies before the trade deadline. He hit .214 with 20 homers and a .693 OPS last season, batting .208 with four homers and a .641 OPS in 54 games with the Yankees.
Rosario’s ability to play shortstop also could come into play with Anthony Volpe expected to miss at least the first month of the season while recovering from surgery to repair a labrum tear in his left shoulder. At the moment, Jose Caballero will start in Volpe’s place.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. currently is the starter at second base but could prove to be a valuable trade piece at some point in the offseason if the Yankees struggle to fill some of their biggest needs. Re-signing Bellinger for the outfield continues to be winter priority No. 1 for the team, followed by adding to the rotation and bullpen.
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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