Dodgers Could Cut Ties With Veteran Infielder Sooner Rather Than Later

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a star-studded roster filled with MVPs and All-Stars, which always makes it all the more impressive when an unlikely candidate makes his way onto the team.

That's the tale for Santiago Espinal.

The veteran joined the Dodgers on a minor league deal this spring and made the Opening Day roster because of a red-hot performance in Cactus League play.

Espinal gave the back-to-back champions no choice but to put him on the team in 2026.

"It’d be hard to imagine him not being on the team," manager Dave Roberts said early in camp.

The contingency for making a roster full of stars, however, is performing well at all times. Espinal didn't do that early in the season, and was designated for assignment when Kiké Hernández returned from the injured list.

Hernández was back on the IL just two days later, though, and Espinal was back with the team for the time being.

With the imminent return of Tommy Edman, though, Espinal's roster spot could again be in jeopardy.

Espinal is hitting .268 with one home run, seven runs batted in and a OPS of .651 across 56 at-bats this season. He's been a key depth player for a Dodgers position group that has been decimated by injury, and he's been even better in his second stint with the team, going 6-for-15 (.400) with an OPS of .775.

With that being said, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller believes Espinal's time with the Dodgers may be up when Edman returns, which is scheduled for this Tuesday.

"The Dodgers already DFA'ed Espinal once, doing so on May 25 when Kiké Hernández was activated from the IL for the first time in 2026. And when Hernández made it a grand total of two games before going back on the IL, they quickly re-signed the versatile Espinal," Miller writes.

"But it's pretty clear he and his [now .651] OPS are little more than a stopgap solution for a team that is patiently waiting for Tommy Edman to make his 2026 debut after undergoing ankle surgery in November."

Edman began the season on the injured list and the Dodgers didn't want to rush the utility man's return after experiencing ongoing issues with his ankle in 2025. His long-awaited season debut should provide a huge boost for the Dodgers as Edman can play both the infield and outfield.

In 2025, Edman hit .225 with 13 home runs, 49 RBIs and an OPS of .656. The Dodgers had the 31-year-old split time between second base and center field last season, but he was limited because of his ankle issues. This year, he's expected to split time between second base and the corner outfield.

The Dodgers hope to have the 2024 NL Championship Series MVP fully healthy this year upon his return and ready to help the team win its third straight World Series title.

As for Espinal, it seems like he could be the odd man out on a loaded Dodgers roster — again.

If the Dodgers decide they want to keep Espinal as a right-handed bat off the bench, the only other obvious option would be sending Alex Freeland back to Triple-A. Ryan Ward's spot seems safe until Teoscar Hernández returns.

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