logo
Dodgers select the contract of former Blue Jay Santiago Espinal
alt
Photo credit: © Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Mar 20, 2026, 14:30 EDTUpdated: Mar 20, 2026, 13:49 EDT
Comments
A former Toronto Blue Jay has officially made a big league roster.
On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reported that Santiago Espinal has made the Los Angeles Dodgers roster, his third big league team.
The infielder has had a terrific Spring Training with the reigning World Series champions, slashing .389/.432/.639 with two home runs in 44 plate appearances for a 168 wRC+. With numbers like that, it was hard to deny him a spot on a big league roster, especially considering his versatility and strong defence around the dirt.
That said, Espinal’s best days are likely behind him. Drafted in the 10th round of the 2016 draft by the Boston Red Sox, he was traded to the Blue Jays ahead of the 2018 trade deadline in exchange for Steve Pearce, who went on to win the World Series MVP, as the Red Sox defeated the Dodgers in the World Series.
Espinal didn’t make his big league debut until 2020, when he slashed .267/.308/.333 with no home runs in 66 plate appearances. The infielder became a regular during the 2021 season, slashing .311/.376/.405 with two home runs in 246 plate appearances for a 115 wRC+. He wrangled the starting third baseman role away from Cavan Biggio thanks to spectacular defence at the hot corner.
With the addition of Matt Chapman, Espinal moved to second base for the 2022 season, where he fit like a glove defensively. Espinal also had a strong year with the twig, slashing .267/.322/.370 with seven home runs in 491 plate appearances, earning his one and only All-Star appearances.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed his 2023 season, and when healthy, he had a poor season. Overall, he slashed .248/.310/.335 with two home runs in 254 plate appearances for a 79 wRC+. He had a below-average Spring Training in 2024, and needing to make a decision between him and Ernie Clement, the Blue Jays chose the latter.
Shortly before the season began, actually two years to the day, the Jays sent Espinal to the Cincinnati Reds for Chris McElvain. Espinal hit a career-high nine home runs in 2024, but slashed just .246/.295/.356 for a 76 wRC+. He wasn’t any better in 2025, slashing .243/.292/.282 with no home runs in 328 plate appearances for a 58 wRC+.
The already-deep Dodgers won’t be bringing in Espinal for his bat, instead, they’ll lean on his versatility and strong defence around the infield as they look to three-peat.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

Featured

News

Breaking News