The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired infielder Andre Lipcius from the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred Clayton Kershaw to the 60-day injured list.
Lipcius appeared in 13 games for the Tigers last season, hitting .286/.342/.400 with a 107 wRC+, one double, one home run and four RBI in 38 plate appearances.
Despite his solid offensive contributions, Lipcius still produced -0.2 wins above replacement (WAR) due to his poor defense with two errors in 11 games and a .900 fielding percentage.
Across his time in the Minor Leagues, Lipcius has seen time at all four infield spots, but he last played shortstop in 2019. He also has time in both corner outfield spots, but he is primarily a third baseman.
Lipicius has a solid hit tool, with Fangraphs ranking him with a 55 future grade and 50 current, but he lacks power, speed and defense.
He does have two option years remaining, making him a solid player to have in the organization as a depth piece for the bench. He figures to begin the year with Triple-A Oklahoma City, but he should also see some time with the Dodgers if he sticks around.
Lipcius played in five spring training games for the Tigers this year, going 1-for-8 with a double and an RBI before being designated for assignment on February 29.
The 25-year-old began his professional career in 2019 in the Detroit Tigers organization, and in four seasons, he hit a combined .266 with 88 doubles, 38 homers and 212 RBI.
He was originally drafted by the Tigers in the third round of the 2019 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Tennessee.
Dodgers place Clayton Kershaw on 60-day IL
With Kershaw going on the 60-day IL, the Dodgers were able to clear an extra spot on their 40-man roster for Lipcius. The move guarantees Kershaw will be out a minimum of two months, but it does not change his timeline.
Kershaw is not expected to return to the club until the Summer months, with late July or August looking like the hopeful view for his return date.
However, the southpaw feels good after reporting to Camelback Ranch last week, and he has been throwing for the past month.
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