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Dodgers Designate Luken Baker For Assignment

By Steve Adams | August 8, 2025 at 2:57pm CDT

The Dodgers have designated first baseman Luken Baker for assignment, per a team announcement. He’d been claimed off waivers from the Cardinals just this past Monday. Baker’s spot on the 40-man roster will go to outfielder Justin Dean, whose previously reported promotion from Triple-A Oklahoma City is now official. Outfielder Esteury Ruiz was optioned to Triple-A to open an active roster spot for Dean.

Baker, 28, is a 2018 second-rounder who’s posted some big Triple-A numbers at times but has never gotten a real look in the majors. The Cardinals gave him brief auditions each year from 2023-25, but he’s never reached 100 plate appearances in a big league season. He’s totaled 189 trips to the plate and owns a .206/.317/.338 batting line in that time.

Though this year’s minor league production is down — .197/.311/.399 in 270 plate appearances — Baker slugged 32 home runs in 108 Triple-A games in 2024. A year prior, he drilled a whopping 33 home runs in only 84 Triple-A games while batting .334/.439/.720. The Cardinals still never found much of an opportunity for him — not with Paul Goldschmidt entrenched at first base and the combination of Willson Contreras, Alec Burleson and Nolan Gorman all seeing frequent time at designated hitter (in addition to occasional time there from Goldschmidt).

Baker has immense raw power but has typically hit for low averages, even in Triple-A (excluding that Herculean 2023 performance). He’s played in parts of five seasons at the top minor league level and turned in a .249/.334/.507 slash in that time. This is Baker’s final minor league option year, so while he can be shuttled from Triple-A to the majors freely for the remainder of the year, he’d need to stick on a big league roster beginning on Opening Day next year (unless he’s passed through waivers first). The Dodgers will place Baker on waivers within the next five days.

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Los Angeles Dodgers Transactions Esteury Ruiz Justin Dean Luken Baker

Brewers, Julian Merryweather Agree To Minor League Deal
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View Comments (25)
Post a Comment

25 Comments

  1. hoof hearted

    2 months ago

    Pirates should snatch him up real quick- nice AAA #’s. low cost/low risk

    6
    Reply
    • GCarbs

      2 months ago

      Not nice this year. Sub 200 average for AAA St Louis

      Reply
    • fourth_dimension

      2 months ago

      They literally could have had him just four days ago, yet 28 teams prior passed on him.

      Dodgers are probably thinking he will pass through waivers to outright him.

      4
      Reply
      • jimmyz1

        2 months ago

        Baker is a better hitter with less risk than at least three position players on the Pirates 40 man roster and his only defensive position is an historic black hole for the team.

        Baker isn’t going to get regular MLB at bats on a contending team but he can get those at bats playing for a team like the Pirates to potentially establish himself as a starting caliber player.

        It’s a low risk/high reward situation for both team and player but it could work out great.

        3
        Reply
        • I speak the truth

          2 months ago

          Don’t worry we’d rather waste at bats on a nostalgic Andrew McCutchen or to save face and justify signing Tommy Pham.

          1
          Reply
    • LaFleur

      2 months ago

      Clear the deck
      Cannon ball coming
      Hed make alot of sense
      For the pirates
      Horwitz and Gonzales
      Have been decent for them though
      Cutch might be on the verge of retirement
      So he could be there DH next season

      Reply
  2. Rhubarb

    2 months ago

    Dodger lege

    Reply
  3. Rhubarb

    2 months ago

    *Dodger legend

    Reply
    • Another Dodgers Fan

      2 months ago

      Here’s Luken at you, kid.

      3
      Reply
      • letsholdemandgohome

        2 months ago

        Let’s go to Lukenbach Texas, Willie and Waylon and the boys.

        4
        Reply
        • Another Dodgers Fan

          2 months ago

          I hope his blue eyes aren’t crying in the rain. Keep your chin up!

          Reply
  4. Jimmy Racer

    2 months ago

    Can anyone tell me why the Dodgers picked him up off of waivers and then DFAd him a week later?

    1
    Reply
    • fourth_dimension

      2 months ago

      They probably figured if 28 other teams passed and then they remove him from the 40 man that he will pass through waivers again untouched and they can then outright him.

      3
      Reply
    • Zerbs63

      2 months ago

      Because they needed a 40 man roster spot. I swear nobody reads anymore.

      4
      Reply
  5. johnnyangel

    2 months ago

    Trying to pick my favorite Luken Baker moment as a Dodger.

    3
    Reply
    • simonkiller

      2 months ago

      All of them

      1
      Reply
  6. James Midway

    2 months ago

    That was quick.

    2
    Reply
  7. Champs64

    2 months ago

    Just when Luken thought another team may have wanted to give him a look, and the Dodgers no less, they kick him the teeth. I hope another team gives this guy an opportunity.

    Reply
  8. BlueSkies_LA

    2 months ago

    Luken good?

    1
    Reply
  9. differentbears

    2 months ago

    Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it never happened.

    Reply
    • BlueSkies_LA

      2 months ago

      Ouch.

      Reply
  10. LFGMets (Metsin7) #BannedAgain&Again&AgainFireStearns

    2 months ago

    Guys like Luken Baker and Jake Mangum get no chances meanwhile “top prospects” put up mediocre numbers and get called up all the time. Doesn’t make sense to me, potential is just potential. I remember when the talent evaluators said Pete Alonso was “fat and slow” (Keith Law) but he was raving about Amed Rosario’s defense (which is horrible). Ethan Salas with his consistent Mendozaline batting average will probably get advanced sometime soon

    1
    Reply
  11. BadMojo

    2 months ago

    Say it ain’t so!

    Reply
  12. l9ydodger

    2 months ago

    These kind of transactions make no sense to me!
    RIDICULOUS!!

    Reply
  13. Mike56

    2 months ago

    Rockies need to sign him. He could possibly be very good power hitter in that thin air. Up until this year was pretty good power hitter in MiLB

    Reply

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