When the Dodgers signed Andy Ibanez last month it raised a few eyebrows. Not because it was an outlandish deal (on the contrary: 1 year, $1.2 million), but because it didn’t really seem to fit what the Dodgers were looking for in an in-depth piece on a championship-caliber club.
This is what I wrote about the signing:
“Ibanez, 33 in April, is coming off a pair of below-average offensive seasons with the Tigers after posting a 103 wRC+ with them in 2023. He has slashed a combined .240/.297/.355 over the past two seasons with an 85 wRC+ (437 plate appearances).”
“He’s not a platinum glove, but certainly more than capable at both positions. He’s been pretty solid defensively in 265 1/3 innings at first base (6 DRS, 2 OAA), but he won’t take any at-bats from him. Freddie Vrijman on the regular. He also has 160 outfield innings on defense (LF/RF). As much as he’s played third base, his arm strength doesn’t really fit the profile. He is consistently in the bottom 10 percentile of arm strength. Last season he averaged 75 MPH on throws from third base. For comparison: Max Muncy averages 84.2 MPH from third base, and we know his arm will never get tangled Adrian Beltre‘S. It’s a 20-degree arm and should probably stay on the right side of second base. However, he can end up in third place, so he can gain some time there in a pinch.
His signing was actually intended as insurance against Tommy Edman missing the start of the season – which seems more likely than ever. They claimed and have since pointed out Ryan Fitzgerald for assignment. He accepted his assignment to Oklahoma City, where Ibanez will likely end up.
But why give him a guaranteed MLB deal if he was just going to get DFA at some point – even before Spring Training? Ben Rortvedt.
Hey? Allow me to explain.
The Dodgers DFA’d Rortvedt shortly after avoiding arbitration with him — a $1.25 million pact. The thought process was that no team would claim he was a fringe 40-man because the claiming team would be responsible for the $1.25 million salary. The Reds were undeterred as they claimed him and looked like they had found their No. 3 catcher. Unfortunately, Rortvedt had to be DFA yesterday to make room Eugene Suarez. The Reds are likely hoping no one claims him, allowing him to report to Triple-A Louisville. But it’s the same calculation the Dodgers had: DFA is a fringe MLBer making more than the MLB minimum in hopes of putting said player in Triple-A and being ready to claim a 40-man roster during the season if necessary. It’s not exactly a win-win situation for the player since he’s not playing in the majors, but he’s also making more than the MLB minimum while playing in the minor leagues.
Ibanez could follow the same path. Like Rortvedt, Ibanez is light with the bat, but he has at least some defensive skills (i.e. he plays more than one position). If he clears waivers and accepts the assignment to OKC, he could very well find his way to Los Angeles during the 2026 season. Enrique Hernández is still not signed (although both sides want a reunion; that will probably happen within a few weeks), the verdict is over Hyeseong KimThe bat is still out, Miguel Rojas is entering its final season and Alex Vrijland may need more seasoning in Triple-A.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a new trend around MLB (if not just for the Dodgers, specifically) – signing an arbitration-eligible or veteran player to a small MLB contract, only to DFA him if the roster spot is needed. The signing team values the player enough to want the deal, but the signing team also doesn’t want to lose the player for any reason. If this becomes a new trend to increase organizational depth – a new market inefficiency perhaps – I hope this is clearly communicated to the player and his agent/agency. On the other hand, if you sign a deal for just over $1 million the current MLByou are probably already aware of the scheduling risk associated with this. Players on the fringes of the 40-man roster are well aware of their position, but this usually happens to players who make the minimum or have recently emerged from the minors.
Oh, and Ibanez was DFA’d so the Dodgers could claim center fielder Michael Siani — the guy they claimed from Atlanta earlier in the offseason, only to DFA him for it Kyle Tucker. Siani was claimed by the Yankees after the Dodgers jettisoned him, but the Dodgers brought him back after the Yankees jettisoned him.
Are you still following?
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What this all really seems like is yet another way the Dodgers can use their financial advantage. Not every team would choose to pay Quad-A players more than Quad-A players normally earn, and that could allow the Dodgers to stockpile talent in the upper minors for (probably) short stints at the MLB level. Besides, the Dodgers can always hope to get more fringe guys with tools in their ‘lab’, for some Muncy/Chris Taylor magic.
It’s possible this is all a coincidence and there isn’t a new normal, but let’s see how the Dodgers operate on the edge going forward. They’ve always looked for ways to upgrade the end of the roster, and now that could be pushing into the Triple-A ranks in an interesting way.
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