Unexpected Dodgers Player has Earned Real Roster Leverage

For all the talent and star power throughout the Los Angeles Dodgers roster, the team regularly excels at finding diamonds in the rough and helping revive careers.

There are several candidates who fit that description with the team in Spring Training, but none have managed to impress like Santiago Espinal. The 31-year-old signed a Minor League contract with the Dodgers early into spring and received a non-roster invite to big league camp.

Additional infielders with MLB experience in that same boat are Keston Hiura and Nick Senzel. Hiura was among the Dodgers' first round of Spring Training roster cuts.

Santiago Espinal likely on Dodgers' Opening Day roster

When speaking with reporters on Thursday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it's difficult to envision a scenario where Espinal is not with the team on Opening Day.

Espinal has appeared in seven Cactus League games, plus the exhibition against Team Mexico, entering play Saturday. When taking into account the unofficial stats from the World Baseball Classic exhibition, Espinal is 12-for-19 with two doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and four walks.

Espinal has experience playing third base (262 games), second base (219) and shortstop (56) over parts of six MLB seasons. Espinal additionally has spent some time at both corner outfield positions and also made two pitching appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020.

He played first base on Thursday for the first time this spring. Espinal otherwise has started five games at third base and once at second base for the Dodgers in exhibition play.

Roberts' comments and Espinal's success essentially answered what became an unexpected position battle. It was primarily created when the Dodgers ruled out Tommy Edman for Opening Day, and when also factoring in Kiké Hernández is starting the season on the 60-day injured list.

Hyeseong Kim fared well before leaving to join Team Korea for the WBC, and he appears primed to form a platoon with Espinal at second base.

One roster hurdle cleared

Espinal is out of Minor League options and will need to be added onto the Dodgers' 40-man roster in order to start the season with the team. That probability increased this week when Jack Suwinski was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Espinal is out of Minor League options, which will mean he needs to remain on the Dodgers' active roster or be exposed to waivers if the team looks to remove him.