The Dodgers signed Espinal to a minor league deal on Monday, and he has wasted no time getting to know his new teammates.
“They’re hungry,” Espinal said. “As soon as I got here, with players who have been in the league for more than 10 years, or in the league for more than eight years, it’s great for me to get a chance to talk to them and pick their brains. It’s been great so far this spring training.”
Espinal has already entered discussions about LA’s vacancy at second base, as Tommy Edman — the Dodgers’ everyday second baseman in 2025 — is still recovering from offseason ankle surgery. The infielder played six MLB seasons and made an All-Star team with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022.
What does Santiago Espinal bring to the Dodgers?
The 31-year-old has survived in the MLB as a contact hitter, whiffing and striking out less often than almost anyone in the MLB. He also showed some solid defensive numbers early in his career, but has hovered around league average with the glove in 2025.
While he has no trouble making contact, Espinal has had trouble making meaningful offensive contributions in recent seasons.
He played 114 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 2025 and posted a career-low .575 OPS with a paltry .243/.292/.282 slash line. Last year he recorded 328 at bats, but did not score a single home run.
Espinal is a career .261 hitter and has a .665 OPS through 578 MLB appearances.
His best stint in the Majors came from 2021-2022, when he recorded nine home runs and 68 RBIs. He maintained a 104 OPS+ over the course of those two seasons and made his only All-Star appearance.
While perhaps not the best option, injuries to key players like Edman and Kiké Hernandez have hampered their infield depth and opened the door to previously undiscovered options. Espinal has the rest of the spring to break into the roster as he looks to support the Dodgers in their campaign for a three-peat.
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