For Corey Seager Insurance, Dodgers Sign Infielder Danny Espinosa

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ luck hasn’t gotten too much better this week as both Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu have each been placed on the disabled list, with Ryu out until the second half. The rotation, however, has been in good hands with Walker Buehler (#3) having looked very good in his first few starts, even going as far as pitching the majority of a no-hitter earlier this week.

The infield, on the other hand, has not shown any additional production despite the additions of Tim Locastro (#49) and Breyvic Valera (#29) this week. Andrew Friedman and co. decided to begin addressing the issue this week, as veteran infielder Danny Espinosa was brought in on a minor-league deal on Sunday.

With Corey Seager out for the season, and fellow infielders Logan Forsythe and Justin Turner still nursing injuries, Espinosa is essentially an insurance signing. To L.A., Espinosa brings with him experience at all levels of the sport. In his last full season in the bigs, Espinosa cracked 24 home runs and chipped in 74 RBIs, but remained way too inconsistent to stay on a major-league roster (.209 average, 174 strikeouts).

In such a pinch, the Dodgers can’t worry much about consistency and long-term value. For now, the veteran will be an option at Triple-A and MLB ranks until a heavily-depleted roster heals — or, is revamped via trade.

Espinosa had been in the Toronto Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo to begin the season and hit just .232/.271/.286 over 60 plate appearances before he opted out. He will be assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, and could be an option for the big league club if he finds his stroke in the Pacific Coast League.

Espinosa was among the fixes that I suggested in my piece last week regarding the infield situation in Los Angeles. He brings with him power potential and defensive versatility that could make him a valuable asset for the Dodgers who are dealing with injuries throughout the line-up. He’s certainly a name to watch as the weeks go on, as his power could play up at National League West ballparks such as Coors Field and Chase Field, and his veteran presence could be valuable with prospects such as Alex Verdugo (#1) currently in the Dodgers dugout.