Los Angeles Dodgers DFA Former All-Star Infielder

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Santiago Espinal hits the ball during 2025 game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers designated Santiago Espinal for assignment for the second time in less than a month, with manager Dave Roberts announcing the move as the corresponding transaction for Tommy Edman's activation off the 60-day injured list.

BREAKING: The Dodgers are going to DFA Santiago Espinal once again.

They will do so tomorrow when Tommy Edman returns, Dave Roberts announced just now.
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) June 16, 2026

A Season That Has Gone in Circles

Espinal signed a minor league deal with Los Angeles in February, hit .378 with a .415 on-base percentage and a .644 slugging percentage in 53 spring training plate appearances, and impressed Roberts enough to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.

He played 26 games, batted .220 with a .604 OPS, and was DFA'd on May 25 when Kike Hernández was activated off the 60-day injured list.

Espinal cleared waivers, was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, and then came back to the big league roster days later when Teoscar Hernandez went on the injured list and the Dodgers needed another body.

In his ten-game second stint, he went 6-for-15 with a .400 average and three RBIs, better production than anything he had managed in his first stretch.

It did not matter.

Santiago Espinal with a 2 run knock! pic.twitter.com/qcjmP8vL8x
— SleeperDodgers (@SleeperDodgers) June 13, 2026

Edman's return from ankle surgery, after a 14-game rehab assignment in which he slashed .275 with a .743 OPS at Triple-A Oklahoma City, left the Dodgers with too many middle infielders to carry Espinal.

"The fit right now with our ballclub, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense," Dave Roberts said.

He is a former 2022 All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays and can play six positions.

The Blue Jays, who have Lenyn Sosa on the injured list, are among the three teams most likely to claim him.