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Santiago Espinal did everything the Los Angeles Dodgers asked of him. Twice.
Thursday, two weeks after he was designated for assignment for a second time, Espinal found a new home in the American League.
The Texas Rangers signed the former All-Star infielder to a minor league contract, allowing him to continue his climb back to the big leagues after a 36-game MLB stint with the Dodgers.
Espinal filled a valuable role for the Dodgers as a utility infielder while Mookie Betts recovered from an oblique strain, Tommy Edman rehabbed his ankle surgery and Alex Freeland and Hyeseong Kim shuffled between the majors and Triple-A.
Espinal’s big league slash line (.268/.276/.375) was not spectacular, but he showed modest success in limited playing time (8-for-his-last-20). He put the ball in play. He struck out infrequently. He filled the utility role well.
Ultimately, Espinal was the inevitable victim of a numbers game when Betts and Edman returned to health. The versatility of Freeland, a switch-hitter who can play both middle infield positions, didn’t help his case.
The Dodgers were able to keep Espinal in the organization after they designated him for assignment May 25, but he elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment June 18.
Espinal, 31, spent four seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, making the American League All-Star team in 2022, before he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 2024.
The Dominican native spent two seasons with the Reds and saw his stock plummet after posting a .574 OPS in 114 games last year. He settled for a minor league deal with the Dodgers after lingering on the free agent market into February.
Espinal’s strong spring training — .378/.415/.644 in 19 Cactus League games — allowed him to break camp with the Dodgers, while the injuries allowed him to keep an MLB roster spot into June.
Overall, Espinal has appeared in 614 games at the major league level, hitting .261 with 21 home runs, 167 RBIs and an OPS of .664.
The Rangers have been dealing with injuries too, including a recent back injury that befell former Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager. It’s the third separate trip to the IL for Seager in the season’s first half.
The Rangers are 44-43, tied for first place in a weak American League West. He might find his way into the infield rotation on a playoff contender after all.
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