Terry Francona favorite lands with Diamondbacks after truncated Dodgers' run

When news broke earlier this season that Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers, there's little doubt that every Cincinnati Reds fan feared the inevitable. Espinal was a favorite of Reds manager Terry Francona last season, and given the team's lack of production from second base this year, a reunion seemed almost inevitable.

Thankfully, the Texas Rangers stepped in and signed Espinal after he cleared waivers. The one-time All-Star was released by the Rangers late last month, and most recently the Arizona Diamondbacks saved the Reds from themselves. Espinal inked a minor-league deal with the D-backs and he'll look to finish off his 2026 campaign out in the desert.

Former Reds infielder (and Terry Francona favorite) Santiago Espinal signs with D-backs

Espinal, of course, came to the Reds organization in 2024 after Matt McLain underwent shoulder surgery before the start of the season. Cincinnati was in dire need of an extra infielder, and swung a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire Espinal in exchange for a minor-league pitcher. The Jays' infield was getting exceedingly crowded at the time, so the Reds were able to work a one-for-one swap.

Espinal was a serviceable player during his first year with the Reds and played well enough that the club extended a $2 million contract for the 2025 season. Francona quickly saw value in the glove-first infielder and inserted him into the Reds' starting lineup with great frequency.

Espinal's bat never matched his glove, unfortunately. In 2025 with the Reds, he hit just .243/.292/.282 and didn't even record a home run. Yet somehow, Francona continued to find ways to get him into the lineup — even deploying him as an outfielder on multiple occasions.

Things got so bizarre after the calendar flipped to August that even Sal Stewart's promotion was delayed because of Espinal's presence on the roster. It wasn't until rosters expanded in September that Stewart received a call-up.

Espinal's solid showing in spring training with the Dodgers has not translated to the major leagues this season. He hasn't seen a Major League diamond since his Dodgers' exit and was only hitting .268/.276/.375 at the time of his DFA.

There's no denying Espinal's skills defensively, but much like current Reds' third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, his bat renders him almost unplayable.

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