SS Paul DeJong
As I mentioned earlier in the article, the Dodgers were in the market for a right-handed bat. Despite Miguel Rojas' steady defensive presence this season, the Dodgers turned to Rosario to fill the void that Rojas leaves at shortstop with his underwhelming offense. But what if the Dodgers had instead turned to the Cardinals to find a solid right-handed bat? DeJong was traded to the Blue Jays after Bo Bichette suffered an injury and the Jays needed insurance. Toronto only gave up Matt Svanson (a 24-year-old reliever in AA) to get him.
So what does DeJong do that Rosario can't? He brings more pop in his bat from the right side. DeJong's .710 OPS and 93 OPS+ with the Cardinals this season are better than Rosario's .675 OPS and 88 OPS+ with Cleveland. And, whereas Rosario struggles in the field (-14 DRS and -14 OAA in 2023), DeJong is a very good defender. He has never been below 0 DRS in a season, and this year his 0 DRS and 8 OAA are far better than Rosario's numbers. While trading for DeJong definitely wouldn't constitute as a blockbuster, the Dodgers definitely could have made a move to acquire him.