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The Dodgers are designating Santiago Espinal for assignment on Tuesday — his second DFA from this club — as the corresponding move to activate Tommy Edman off the 60-day injured list. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed the roster decision after Monday night’s 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, per staff reporting at Dodger Blue.

Espinal’s second trip through DFA territory with the Dodgers says a lot about where he stands on this roster. The 31-year-old infielder originally came up through the Red Sox system before spending the bulk of his career with the Blue Jays, where he was a serviceable utility man from 2020 through 2023. He had his best offensive season in 2022, slashing .267/.322/.370 across 135 games in Toronto. But his production has fallen off significantly since then. The Dodgers picked him up as organizational depth — the kind of move you make when you need bodies who can play multiple infield spots. The fact that he’s getting cut loose a second time tells you he wasn’t able to seize whatever opportunity was in front of him. At this point in his career, Espinal is a player on the fringes, and the Dodgers clearly don’t see him as someone who cracks this roster when they’re at full strength.

Edman’s return is the real story here, and it’s a welcome one. The 30-year-old switch-hitter was a key piece in the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series run after arriving from St. Louis at the trade deadline, and he signed back with Los Angeles as a free agent. Before landing on the 60-day IL, Edman had shown he could be a versatile weapon — capable of playing shortstop, second base, and center field while providing quality at-bats from both sides of the plate. His best full season came in 2022 with the Cardinals, when he posted a .265/.324/.400 line with 13 homers, 57 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases across 152 games. He’s the type of player who makes a lineup deeper and a roster more flexible, which is exactly what this team needs as we push into the second half of the season.

From a roster construction standpoint, this is straightforward. You bring back a proven, versatile player and move out the guy who was keeping his seat warm. Edman gives Roberts options all over the diamond, and his ability to switch-hit adds lineup balance that Espinal simply couldn’t provide. The 60-day IL stint means Edman will need some time to get his legs under him at the major league level, but this is a player with a track record of contributing in meaningful spots. I expect Roberts to ease him back in rather than throw him into an everyday role immediately, but the flexibility Edman provides off the bench alone makes this an upgrade from day one.

The bigger picture: this roster is slowly getting healthier, and that matters. Edman coming back is one more step toward the Dodgers fielding something closer to a full-strength lineup, and every piece that returns makes this team harder to pitch to and harder to beat. Espinal served his purpose as a stopgap. Now the real guys are coming back.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: June 16, 2026 5:39 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers