TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees have liked Amed Rosario since he was in his early 20s playing shortstop for the Mets at the start of his career.
They were interested in trading for Rosario before his trade to Cleveland in January 2021 and then attempted to sign him as a free agent two winters ago.
“I went to Washington because I thought I’d play more there,” Rosario said.
The Yankees finally obtained Rosario last summer from the Nationals. They were thrilled to get a right-handed hitter who feasts on left-handed pitching. They liked that he can play second base, shortstop and third base as well as the outfield.
The .273 career hitter batted .303 in 16 regular-season games for the Yankees, and then was 3-for-10 in the postseason.
After becoming a free agent, the 30-year-old Rosario is back with the Yankees again this season on a one-year, $2.5-million contract.
Rosario is featured today in NJ.com’s daily spring training “favorites” questionnaire:
Childhood sports hero: Manny Ramirez.
Favorite movie: Fast & Furious.
Favorite actor: Dwayne Johnson.
Favorite musical artist: Dominican rapper T.Y.S and Michael Jackson.
Best little league memory: My first homer in the Dominican and traveling to Baltimore to play Cal Ripken’s tournament (at The Ripken Experience in Aberdeen, Maryland). I did pretty good there. I won Silver Slugger.
Favorite zoo animals: Lions and hyenas.
Best sports besides baseball: Basketball.
Favorite road city: Los Angeles.
Favorite ballpark: Yankee Stadium.
Toughest pitchers to face: Joe Kelly and Kenley Jensen.
One rule change I’d make if I were commissioner: One day off a week.
Favorite holiday: Christmas.
Favorite cartoon: Bugs Bunny.
Favorite toy as child: Baseball bat.
Favorite childhood family vacation: Jarabacoa. It’s near the mountains in the Dominican. It’s beautiful there. You can go hiking. The (indigenous Taino) people there are really nice.
Dream vacation: African safari.
Favorite subject in school: Art. I have a lot of books on art. I’m studying it and practicing it.
Favorite video game: Call of Duty.
Favorite meal: Dominican Sancocho. It’s like a soup with a lot of meat.
Favorite fast-food restaurant: In-N-Out Burger. It’s far from the D.R., but I go there when I’m in California.
Favorite candy: Sour Patch Kids.
Favorite snack: Potato chips,
Favorite ice cream flavor: Dulce de leche. It has a lot of caramel.
Favorite TV station: ESPN.
Hobbies: I collect everything … dogs, birds, shoes, baseball cards, Legos.
3 living or dead people you’d invite to dinner: My two grandmothers and my grandfather from my mother.
YANKEES’ FAVORITES SERIES