Santiago Espinal, a guy who started the year thinking he had a spot with the Dodgers, has just signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s been an absolute circus of a season for Espinal, and this latest move, announced by the Triple-A Reno Aces, just adds another wild chapter to his 2026.
Espinal’s Bumpy Ride This Season
This dude’s 2026 campaign has been a non-stop head-scratcher. Espinal initially snagged a minor league deal with the Dodgers and actually punched his ticket to the Opening Day roster. He got into 36 games with the big league squad, putting up a .268/.276/.375 slash line, with one home run and seven RBI across 60 plate appearances. Not bad for a taxi squad guy, right? But then, the Dodgers cut him loose on June 18. Barely two weeks later, on July 2, he signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, only to be released again 26 days after that! While he was with the Triple-A Round Rock Express, he slashed .262/.333/.310 with six RBI. Now, he’s landed with another team in the NL West, looking for a break. Talk about a tumultuous year for a player.
Dodgers’ Own Drama Heats Up
While Espinal’s been bouncing around, the Dodgers have their own talking points. Forget Shohei Ohtani’s MVP battle for a second, because the biggest thing in the clubhouse is Kyle Tucker’s first year in Dodger blue. It’s been turbulent, man, and frankly, pretty lackluster. As the Dodgers get ready to kick off a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, everyone’s eyes are locked on Tucker. Will he keep underperforming at home, or can he suddenly rediscover that pre-Dodger magic at the plate? Mookie Betts and Miguel Rojas even chopped it up about Tucker’s rough patch on the “On Base with Mookie Betts” podcast. Rojas had his teammate’s back, saying, “I have all my confidence in Tucker… I am a true believer that when you feel good, you play good. When you’re going out there everyday knowing the guys have your back, it’s a good feeling… I really want him to believe that the opinions that matter are the ones that are to your left and to your right.”
In other Dodgers news, Cox customers in their broadcast territory can finally watch games on SportsNet LA. Bill Shaikin from the Los Angeles Times broke the news: this Friday marks the first time in 13 years! That’s gotta be huge for the fans in Orange County (Channel 63), Palos Verdes (Channel 54), Santa Barbara (Channel 36), and even Las Vegas (Channel 50). Plus, MLB.com’s Johnathan Mayo, Jim Callis, and Sam Dykstra are all pointing to Josue de Paula as the Dodgers prospect most likely to get the big league callup this year. So, while Espinal finds a new spot, the Dodgers are tuning into their next series, hoping their big offseason acquisition finally finds his groove.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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