Diamondbacks Sign Former Dodgers Infielder

Espinal was signed by the Dodgers this offseason, and made Los Angeles' opening day roster out of spring training. The 31-year-old third baseman appeared in 36 games with the Dodgers this season, hitting to a .268/.276/.375 triple slash line and a .651 OPS with one homer.

On June 16, Espinal was designated for assignment by the Dodgers despite hitting .462 in limited June at-bats. He was subsequently granted his release, after which he ultimately signed another minor league deal with the Texas Rangers.

Espinal did not manage to crack the big league roster while a member of the Rangers' organization, hitting to just a 70 wRC+ (30% below average) for the Triple-A Round Rock Express.

Espinal has had a little bit of success on the offensive side at some points in his career, but for the most part, he's primarily been a high-end defensive player without much of an impact bat.

He's spent time at a variety of defensive positions over parts of seven major league seasons, including all four infield positions and all three outfield spots. The majority of his defensive work has come at third base, but with a hefty chunk of playing time at second, as well.

He has been woprth +5 Defensive Runs Saved in his career, including +2 at third base for the Dodgers this season in 17 games. He also posted +2 Fielding Run Value and +2 Outs Above Average with Los Angeles in the 2026 campaign.

The Diamondbacks could very well need some infield depth as the season wears on. Nolan Arenado is dealing with an injury to his torso — though he did DH on Wednesday. Then, of course, there's the recent drama surrounding second baseman Ketel Marte, who remains on the Restricted List for now. It is unknown when and if Marte will return.

Rookie infielder Jose Fernandez was called back up from Reno in the process of those two infield-weakening developments.

Espinal may have been a signing out of necessity for Reno, but he's also a steady major league defender who could provide some value at the MLB level for Arizona as the playoff chase continues to heat up.