Dodgers outfielder who was recently DFA joins Yankees

The New York Yankees claimed Friday that Michael Siani, who was designated by the Los Angeles Dodgers to make room on the roster for Kyle Tucker, was waived.

The Dodgers had Siani for just a month and a half before designating him for assignment after claiming him from the Atlanta Braves on December 12.

Why do the Dodgers DFA Michael Siani?

The Dodgers, after signing Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract, didn’t have much room for Siani on their roster, let alone in the outfield.

With Tucker joining the team, the Dodgers established their outfield of Tucker, Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages. They also had options behind those three in Pacific Coast League MVP Ryan Ward and trade deadline acquisition Alex Call.

Siani has played in four MLB seasons and has struggled to perform with the bat throughout his time in the major leagues. He has never recorded an OPS above .600 over the course of an MLB season and has seen extremely limited time at the major league level in recent years.

He saw the most opportunity with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, playing 124 games with two home runs and a .570 OPS. However, the outfielder had a fantastic glove that season, finishing in the 99th percentile of the MLB with 16 outs above average.

How does Michael Siani fit in with the Yankees?

The New York Yankees also have some issues in the outfield, meaning Siani may not be able to break into their team either.

The Bronx Bombers signed former Dodgers MVP Cody Bellinger on Wednesday, completing their outfield alongside Trent Grisham Jr. and AL MVP Aaron Judge.

Behind these three is veteran talent Jasson Dominguez, who received Rookie of the Year votes in the American League last season.

Siani is unlikely to dethrone any of the three current starters in the outfield, as New York just paid two of them an obscene amount of money and the third is the best player in the AL. While he is a solid addition for the Yankees, the chances of him making the team’s opening day roster are slim to none.

The Dodgers, now without Siani, will remain focused on the same goal: winning a third straight World Series championship. The Yankees are a clear contender in the other league, but who will the Dodgers ultimately face if they make it to the Fall Classic?