Dodgers are learning painful lesson Reds fans already endured

Former Cincinnati Reds infielder Santiago Espinal found a new home with the Los Angeles Dodgers this past winter. The Reds outrighted Espinal to Triple-A after the 2025 season came to a close, and after rejecting the assignment, he landed a minor-league deal with the Dodgers earlier this year.

Espinal was one of LA's standout performers this past spring, and his surprising .378/.415/.644 slash line earned him a spot on the Dodgers' Opening Day roster. Unfortunately, his spring success has not carried over to the regular season, and the veteran infielder could soon be searching for a new team once again.

Ex-Reds infielder Santiago Espinal can't find success with Dodgers

The Dodgers have more than enough bats to carry the load, but with Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, and Kiké Hernandez all on the injured list, Espinal has maintained a spot on Los Angeles' active roster since the 2026 season began. But his scorching-hot performance during Cactus League play ground to a halt and he's now hitting just .200 with a 27 wRC+ and no extra-base hits this season.

Espinal was a late-addition to the Reds' roster in 2024 after infielder Matt McLain landed on the IL with a shoulder injury. The Reds shipped right-handed pitching prospect Chris McElvain to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Espinal. The Blue Jays were looking to unclog their infield logjam in order to provide more playing time for Ernie Clement, so the trade worked out well for both sides.

Espinal became a reliable defender and contact hitter — though he was always known more for his glove than his bat. During his first year with the Reds, he hit .246/.295/.356 with nine home runs and 45 RBI. Cincinnati liked what they saw from Espinal in Year 1 with the club, and brought him back last season on a one-year deal.

But Espinal was unable to repeat his previous success, and despite Terry Francona's oft-criticized loyalty to the sure-handed defender, he eventually became little more than a late-game replacement during the second-half of the 2025 season.

Espinal has fallen away from the All-Star level numbers he posted in 2022 (.267/.322/.370), and if he fails to turn things around with the Dodgers in the coming weeks, he'll likely become a free agent again once LA is fully healthy. Thankfully, Cincinnati's infield depth is enough that re-signing Espinal shouldn't enter the minds of the Reds front office.

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