Former Dodgers Outfielder Signs With National League Rival Powerhouse

Jul 22, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Billy McKinney (29) makes a play for the triple hit by San Francisco Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski (5) during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers ended a dominant offseason with a productive spring.

As they are obviously not able to sign every talented player that has ever donned a Dodgers uniform, a former outfielder has reached a deal with a National League rival who has also retooled their roster this winter.

More news: 3 Former Dodgers Have Been Deemed 3 Inches Shorter Following New MLB Measurements

Billy McKinney has been signed to the New York Mets minor league squad as per The Athletic's Will Sammon.

The Mets signed outfielder Billy McKinney to a minors deal, league sources said. He gives the Mets some more depth at Triple A.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) March 21, 2025

McKinney has bounced around the league for a few seasons, but was last playing for L.A. during the back half of a tumultuous 2021 season for the outfielder.

Starting 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers for 40 games, McKinney then made his way to the Mets for 39 games, before finding himself on the Dodgers for the final 37 of his season.

His three month stint in Los Angeles started in the middle of July of that year and lasted until the second week of September.

Those 37 games for the Dodgers consisted of 12 hits, seven RBIs, 14 walks, and even a home run.

More news: Surprise Dodgers Star is Third-Highest Paid Player in MLB After Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto

The left-handed outfielder was first drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft. He would debut with the New York Yankees five years later at the beginning of the 2018 season.

From there, he spent parts of three seasons on the Toronto Blue Jays, the aforementioned Brewers, Mets, and Dodgers, returned to the Athletics and Yankees, and played ten games last season as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

His primary role on the Mets will be to bolster the outfield depth of the Triple-A squad. With such a talented roster in New York, McKinney will have his work cut out for him if/when he makes it back up to the majors.

Although the Dodgers would love outfield depth as well, the kind of talent on the roster doesn't exactly spell flexibility with the limited spots ahead of the team's North American Opening Day.

More news: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Among 6 Players Wearing Special Patch for 2025 MLB Season

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.