Santiago Espinal’s Impressive Spring Performance: A Step Closer to Joining the Dodgers Roster
PHOENIX — Santiago Espinal, making a swift impression since joining the Los Angeles Dodgers less than three weeks ago, has caught the attention of manager Dave Roberts.
“It’d be hard to imagine him not being on our team,” Roberts remarked last week. “He’s having a great spring, man. He’s just a good player. It’s good, because I didn’t really know much about him, but seeing him every day, [he’s] fun to watch.”
Espinal, a former All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, found himself struggling through two difficult seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, during which his performance rated as below replacement level with a .245/.294/.322 batting average over 232 games. This disappointing stretch led to his removal from the Reds’ 40-man roster at the end of last season, ultimately making him a free agent after rejecting a minor league assignment with triple-A Louisville. He signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers on February 16, which included an invitation to spring training.
Seizing the opportunity, Espinal has emerged as a standout performer in camp, leading the Dodgers with two home runs and nine RBIs while boasting an impressive .500/.519/.900 slash line. With utility players Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández starting the season on the injured list, an opening exists for Espinal to secure a place on the team’s roster. Showcasing his versatility, he played all four infield positions and both corner outfield spots for the Reds last season, demonstrating an improved batting performance this spring.
“I feel like the offense part of it, I’ve been working consistently with the hitting coaches, just looking at videos, looking at little details,” Espinal said. “There’s either something going on with my lower body or something going on with my upper body. Where are my hands at, all this stuff, so that’s something that we literally every day just work on. So just make sure that my body feels great.”
Espinal attributes part of his success to a strategic adjustment: attacking the count early by getting the bat off his shoulder.
“Being more aggressive in my swing path,” he explained. “Make sure that it’s there. Make sure that it’s straight to the ball and not opening up and that stuff, but it’s a constant work that we’ve been doing every day and so far, it’s been great.”
His strong performance, which includes a notable two-homer game against the Reds, has not gone unnoticed.
“[He’s fitting in] seamlessly,” Roberts remarked. “He’s a baseball player. It’s in his blood. You see it. He’s a smart player. He knows the type of player he needs to be to be a Major League player. He has fun playing, but there’s a focus when he plays. He plays with enthusiasm, which is tempered, which is great.”
Though his time with the Dodgers has been short, Espinal has been keen to learn from the team’s core members, including fellow Dominican and former Blue Jays teammate Teoscar Hernández.
“When you see Mookie [Betts], when you see Freddie [Freeman], [Max] Muncy, I played with Teo, and he’s actually one of the best hitters in the game, you know you have it in the locker room,” Espinal noted. “You also want to pick their brain. You also want to ask questions. And you also want to see how they work, how they go about their business.”
The possibility of earning a spot on the opening-day roster, given his journey from last season’s conclusion and the start of February, is a significant achievement for Espinal.
“It would be amazing,” he said regarding the prospect of making the 26-man roster. “It would be amazing, and I’ve just got to let my work talk for it. And so far, that’s what I’m doing and I’m just going to keep working for it.”
