Santiago Espinal performed well during Spring Training and earned a spot on the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Opening Day roster, but he has largely struggled through the first month-and-a-half of the regular season.
That prompted speculation about Espinal’s future with the team, particularly as Mookie Betts was getting set to return from the injured list. However, the Dodgers decided on sending Alex Freeland to Triple-A Oklahoma City as the corresponding roster move.
Meanwhile, Espinal seemingly is going to remain with the Dodgers for at least a little while longer after his contract was restructured, via Katie Woo of The Athletic:
The Dodgers included an advanced consent clause in that deal, per multiple league sources, a provision that permits a team to release a player within the first 45 days of a contract without paying the remainder of the player’s owed salary. According to those sources, that deal was restructured and the deadline extended.
Espinal originally signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Dodgers that included a way for the club to essentially get out of paying the remainder of his salary if he was released within the first 45 days.
With the Dodgers extending that deadline, it was the first clue that Espinal wasn’t going to be the roster casualty when Betts returned. But the clock may still strike midnight on Espinal once Kiké Hernández is eligible to be activated off the 60-day injured list later this month.
That official date is May 24, but Hernández has indicated he will return when the Dodgers start their homestand the following day.
So for at least the next two weeks the Dodgers will continue to utilize Espinal as a right-handed option off the bench and candidate to start in place of Max Muncy when a left-hander is on the mound.
If or when the team needs to make a roster move involving Espinal, he is out of Minor League options and therefore would need to be designated for assignment.
Santiago Espinal’s 2026 stats with Dodgers
Espinal is just 6-for-32 with two doubles and two RBI while appearing in 20 games thus far with the Dodgers. He has primarily been used as a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement, seeing time at three different positions in the infield.
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