Los Angeles Dodgers infield utility player Santiago Espinal lost to free agency after the veteran rejected his minor league assignment.
Espinal hit .378/.415/.644 in 53 plate appearances during Spring Training after signing a minor league deal with the Dodgers.
With injuries to Tommy Edman and Kike Hernandez, Espinal made the Opening Day roster, playing all over the infield as a platoon player.
In fact, he survived for a long time in the majors, only being waived once Kike Hernandez got activated.
However, Hernandez did not stay healthy for long, and the Dodgers quickly gave Espinal another minor league deal to make room.
It was not until Tommy Edman got activated on Tuesday that Espinal was designated for assignment again. This time, Espinal elected free agency after the Dodgers outrighted him to the minor leagues.
Considering he hit .268/.276/.375 in 60 plate appearances during the regular season, Espinal made the right decision, as he should be a top option for any team that needs infield help.
Additionally, he could float around long enough to be signed by the Dodgers like he was in the past. Regardless, he played himself into the chance to get more MLB looks at some point.
Who is on the Dodgers’ roster bubble next?
The Dodgers surely would have liked to keep Espinal and his great glove, though they have more than enough depth to deal with his loss.
Soon enough, Kike Hernandez will be eligible for activation, along with Teoscar Hernandez, which will force even tougher decisions on the team to make room.
Alex Freeland, Alex Call, and Ryan Ward are the three players who will have to make room for two. Most likely, Freeland and Ward will be sent down because they have option years left, but their potential could lead to them staying around.
Meanwhile, Hyeseong Kim and hot shot James Tibbs III loom in the Triple-A as they knock on the door of a chance to impress in the big leagues.
