The New York Yankees claimed Michael Siani, who the Los Angeles Dodgers designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Kyle Tucker, off waivers Friday.
The Dodgers only had Siani for a month and a half before designating him for assignment, having claimed him from the Atlanta Braves Dec. 12.
Why Did the Dodgers DFA Michael Siani?
The Dodgers, after signing Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract, didn’t have much of a spot for Siani on their roster, much less the outfield.
With Tucker joining the team, the Dodgers established their outfield of Tucker, Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages. They also had options behind those three in Pacific Coast League MVP Ryan Ward and trade deadline acquisition Alex Call.
Siani has played in four MLB seasons, and has struggled to produce with the bat throughout his time in the big leagues. He has never recorded an OPS above .600 over the course of an MLB season, and has seen extremely limited time at the top level in the past few years.
He saw the most opportunity with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, playing 124 games with two home runs and a .570 OPS. The outfielder had a fantastic glove that season, though, ranking in the 99th percentile of MLB with 16 outs above average.
How Does Michael Siani Fit With the Yankees?
The New York Yankees also have a bit of a logjam in the outfield, meaning Siani may not be able to break into their team either.
The Bronx Bombers signed former Dodgers MVP Cody Bellinger on Wednesday, rounding out their outfield alongside Trent Grisham Jr. and AL MVP Aaron Judge.
Behind those three is longtime prospect Jasson Dominguez, who received Rookie of the Year votes in the American League last season.
Siani is unlikely to dethrone any of the three current starters in the outfield seeing as how New York just paid two of them an obscene amount of money and the third is the best player in the AL. While he is a solid depth addition for the Yankees, the chances he makes the team’s Opening Day roster are slim to none.
The Dodgers, now without Siani, will remain focused on the same goal: Winning a third consecutive World Series Championship. The Yankees are a clear contender in the other league, but who will the Dodgers ultimately face should they make it to the Fall Classic?
