Dodgers' Santiago Espinal: Scrubbed from 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Dodgers designated Espinal for assignment Monday.
With Enrique Hernandez (elbow) coming off the 60-day injured list, the Dodgers needed to clear space on their 26-man and 40-man rosters. Espinal is the casualty after hitting only .220/.238/.366 over 44 plate appearances. He is likely to clear waivers and become a free agent.
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Dodgers' Santiago Espinal: Hits first homer of season
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Espinal went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Giants.
Espinal has filled a limited role this season, most often getting into the lineup against left-handed pitchers. His third-inning solo shot was his first homer of the campaign. The utility man is batting .200 with a .543 OPS, three RBI, four runs scored, two doubles and no stolen bases over 37 plate appearances. Unless he hits consistently, he'll likely remain in a short-side platoon role at best.
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Dodgers' Santiago Espinal: Contract selected
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The Dodgers selected Espinal's contract from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
Espinal signed a minor-league contract with Los Angeles in mid-February, and after dominating in spring training to the tune of a .389/.432/.639 slash line to go with two homers, 13 RBI and 12 runs scored through 15 contests, he's now officially claimed a spot on the team's Opening Day roster. The 31-year-old's clearest path to playing time early in the year will be in a short-side platoon role at second base, as Tommy Edman is expected to miss the first month of the regular season while recovering from ankle surgery. Once Edman returns, Espinal will likely be relegated to a bench role while Edman and Hyeseong Kim split reps at the keystone.
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Dodgers' Santiago Espinal: Continues scorching spring
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Espinal went 2-for-2 with a pair of home runs and six RBI in Thursday's Cactus League loss to Cincinnati.
Espinal got the scoring started quietly in the first inning with a sacrifice fly, then produced much louder output with a solo homer in the third frame and a three-run blast in the fourth. He finished off his big contest with another sacrifice fly in the fifth. The veteran utility man is now slashing an absurd .625/.636/1.125 over seven games this spring. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested prior to Thursday's contest that Espinal is likely to make the team's Opening Day roster, and if that's indeed the case, he'll likely serve in a super-utility role similar to what Enrique Hernandez -- who will begin the campaign on the 60-day IL due to an elbow injury -- typically logs. With that being said, Espinal is a career .261 hitter with just 20 home runs across 579 regular-season contests, so his power display Thursday shouldn't lead to expectation that he's suddenly going to be a major source of homers.
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Dodgers' Santiago Espinal: Likely to make roster
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated Thursday that Espinal is likely to make the Opening Day roster, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Espinal was signed to a minor-league deal with a camp invite in February and has fit in "seamlessly" with the team, per Roberts. With Tommy Edman (ankle) and Enrique Hernandez (elbow) slated to open the year on the injured list, Espinal provides the defensive versatility Roberts seeks. The 31-year-old could see some starts at second base while Edman is out.
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Dodgers' Santiago Espinal: Grabs MiLB deal from Dodgers
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The Dodgers signed Espinal to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
He will likely begin the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, but Espinal provides the Dodgers with some experienced infield depth while Tommy Edman (ankle) and Enrique Hernandez (elbow) are shelved. The 31-year-old slashed only .243/.292/.282 with zero home runs over 114 regular-season contests in 2025 with the Reds.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Outrighted off 40-man roster
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The Reds outrighted Espinal to Triple-A Louisville on Friday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
Espinal has the ability to decline the outright assignment and elect free agency, but it's uncertain whether he plans to exercise that right. The veteran infielder slashed only .243/.292/.282 with zero home runs over 114 regular-season games for the Reds this season.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Draws start at second base Friday
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Espinal started at second base and went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 9-6 win over Philadelphia.
Espinal, who was a prominent member of the third-base rotation while Noelvi Marte was on the 10-day injured list, was moved off the hot corner Friday with Marte's return. He drew the start at second base while Matt McLain served as the Reds' designated hitter, but Espinal's inclusion in the lineup was likely a byproduct of the Phillies sending a lefty starter (Jesus Luzardo) to the hill. The right-handed-hitting Espinal isn't expected to see regular playing time versus righties now that Marte is back in the fold.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Sitting out Monday
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Espinal is not in the lineup for Monday's game versus the Brewers.
Espinal has been an everyday player for the Reds since late April but will get a day of rest for the series opener. Garrett Hampson will handle third base and bat ninth Monday.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Enters as pinch hitter
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Espinal went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI in Monday's 7-4 win over Kansas City.
Espinal, who has been the primary third baseman since Noelvi Marte (oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list, opened Monday's game on the bench while Gavin Lux started at the hot corner. Espinal eventually entered as a pinch hitter, finished the game at third base, and delivered a pair of hits including a run-scoring double in the eighth inning. He entered the game batting .169 (11-for-65) with one RBI over his last 17 games.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: On bench for series opener
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Espinal is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Royals.
Espinal has been a regular in the lineup at third base -- and in the two hole -- for Cincinnati since Noelvi Marte (oblique) was placed on the injured list. However, Espinal's bat has gone cold, as he's just 11-for-65 (.169 average) with two extra-base hits (both doubles) in his last 17 games. The 30-year-old longtime utility man will sit Monday in favor of Garrett Hampson, who will be making his first start in a Reds uniform.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Snaps RBI drought
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Espinal went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 4-1 win over Cleveland.
Espinal entered the contest batting .118 (4-for-34) with zero RBI over the previous nine contests. He's been the regular starter at third base since Noelvi Marte (oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Marte's healing is going better than expected, per MLB.com, but he still has a way to go before returning. That means Espinal should continue to receive consistent playing time for at least the next two weeks.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Steals bag in loss
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Espinal started at third base and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Friday's 3-0 loss to Houston.
The stolen base was the first of the season for Espinal, who logged 11 thefts in a part-time role for the Reds in 2024. He's been more of a regular in 2025, appearing in 31 of Cincinnati's 40 games to date. Friday's start was his fifth in a row at third base since Noelvi Marte (oblique) became unavailable. It was Espinal's 10th overall start, including outings at shortstop, left field and right field. With Austin Hays activated off the injured list Friday, that frees up Gavin Lux to usurp starts at the third base, but Espinal has been a valuable and productive piece and should maintain a semi-regular role.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Primed for everyday role
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Espinal will start at third base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against Atlanta.
Espinal will pick up his eighth straight start Wednesday and his third in a row at third base, which could be his primary home for the foreseeable future after Noelvi Marte was placed on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 2 oblique strain. The 30-year-old Espinal has recorded at least one hit in each of his previous seven starts to lift his average up to .333 over 87 at-bats. Espinal could continue to occupy a spot in the heart of the lineup while he's swinging a hot bat and while the Reds are without multiple key hitters due to injuries.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Logs Reds' lone hit
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Espinal started at third base and went 1-for-3 in Monday's 4-0 loss to Atlanta.
The hot-hitting Espinal got the start over a slumping Noelvi Marte (3-for-22 in last six games) and extended his hit streak to six games. It was Cincinnati's lone hit. The versatile Espinal is 11-for-22 with two doubles and five RBI during the hot stretch.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Fills in as left fielder
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Espinal started in left field and went 1-for-3 with a walk, a double, two RBI and a run scored in Friday's 6-1 win over Washington.
Espinal started the last two games in left field and should help fill the void left by Austin Hays' hamstring injury, which landed him on the 10-day injured list. Espinal is expected to start in left against left-handers while Hays is unavailable, and Gavin Lux should start there against righties. Espinal will also move around as needed in the infield. He's batting .324/.385/.394 over 24 games (78 plate appearances) this season.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Fills in at second base
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Espinal started at second base and went 2-for-3 with a walk in Friday's 3-2 loss to Milwaukee.
Espinal filled in for an injured Matt McLain (hamstring), who was available as a pinch hitter. That McLain entered the game suggests he might be ready to go Saturday. Espinal has appeared in six games this season while seeing time at second base, third base, left field and right field.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Two spring games, two XBH
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Espinal started at shortstop and went 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored in Sunday's spring game against the Giants.
Espinal has appeared in two Cactus League games -- both at shortstop -- and made an impact in both. Prior to Sunday's triple, he homered in a split-squad game against the Brewers on Saturday. The 30-year-old utility infielder/outfielder was useful to the Reds in 2024, establishing career highs in home runs (nine) and steals (11), as the team dealt with injuries throughout the roster. Cincinnati re-signed him during the offseason, presumably with the intent of having him fill a similar role in 2025.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Inks deal with Cincy
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Espinal and the Reds agreed to a one-year, $2.4 million contract Friday to avoid arbitration, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Espinal was traded from the Blue Jays to the Reds in March and had a .246/.295/.356 slash line with nine home runs and 11 steals in 118 games during 2024. He should fill a utility role for Cincinnati again in 2025.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Fills in at second base
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Espinal started at second base and went 1-for-3 in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Cleveland.
Espinal filled in at second base for Jonathan India, who was held out of the starting lineup after clearing concussion protocol. Espinal's in a skid to end the season, going 4-for-37 (.108) over the 11 games, but he's been productive overall during the second half.
