The Dodgers have signed infielder Andy Ibáñez to a major league deal, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR. The salary has not yet been reported. The Dodgers have a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move to make this deal official. Ibáñez is represented by The Movement Baseball.
Ibáñez, 33 in April, was just non-tendered by the Tigers in November. He had spent three years with Detroit in a utility role. He got into 304 games over that span, stepping to the plate 820 times. He produced a combined batting line of .251/.304/.392, which translated to a wRC+ of 93. While that offense was a bit below average, Ibáñez provided a lot of defensive versatility. He played all four infield spots as well as the outfield corners.
That wasn’t enough to keep him in Detroit for 2026. He exhausted his final option year in 2025, meaning he will be out of options going forward. He had qualified for arbitration a year ago as a Super Two player. The Tigers paid him $1.4MM in 2025. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected him for a raise to $1.8MM this year but Detroit didn’t tender him a contract, sending him to free agency instead.
The Dodgers have a relatively older infield group. Shortstop Mookie Betts is 33 years old and was a full-time outfielder not long ago. 36-year-old Freddie Freeman is at first base and 35-year-old Max Muncy is at the other corner. Getting a semi rest day in the designated hitter slot isn’t really an option thanks to the presence of Shohei Ohtani.
Second base is a bit more fluid. Tommy Edman, Hyeseong Kim, Miguel Rojas and Alex Freeland are options for that spot. Rojas will be turning 37 years old soon. Edman isn’t quite as old, turning 31 in May, but is coming off ankle surgery. Kim can play other positions around the diamond. Freeland is a notable prospect for the club and still optionable, so perhaps it makes sense for him to be getting regular playing time in Triple-A if he doesn’t have an everyday job in the majors.
Ibáñez will give the club another multi-positional guy on the bench who can bounce around as needed, depending on who else is healthy and producing. If he has a good season with the Dodgers, he can be retained beyond 2026 via arbitration. Rojas has already said that he will retire after this year, so that’ll be one less guy in the mix for 2027 and beyond. Muncy is also slated for free agency a season from now but the Dodgers will presumably come up with some plan for third base in the next year, whether that’s bringing back Muncy or some alternative.
Photo courtesy of Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images
Disgusting. How are teams like the Brewers and Marlins even supposed to compete at this point
With Andy Ibanez? Maybe sign another low-end utility guy?
Disgusting how is a person suppose to understand sarcasm
Yep, that one is on me. Might as well wear it.
I mean in your defense, it’s tougher on this site than pretty much anywhere else considering some of the earnest idiocy that gets spewed so freely.
Everything passes for wisdom, somewhere.
True however I still find this the most intelligent comments site on the internet. The bar isn’t very high.
The Dodgers should be aiming higher than that.
Maybe you should let them know how to run their organization.
They just can’t compete with the Blue Jays
They added Alex Call and Brock Stewart at the trade deadline last season when everyone thought that would go big. It worked out.
But it was surprising for sure.
Thought they would want more than a non-tender.
There’s a better than zero chance they be making a trade. We’ll see.
They are short of funds.
Dodgers front doesn’t get enough credit for their scouting and player development. People only focus on their big signings they ignore them being one of the best organizations at consistently finding discarded talent from other teams and using them in a role that fits their skill sets. I could definitely see Ibanez being a valuable role player for them off the bench if he makes the team
If Tampa Bay can compete on a regular basis there are no excuses for any organization. Fans should hold their teams ownership accountable.
Tampa is only a competitive franchise if you allow them the excuse of their market. Losing record overall, winning record in 12/28 seasons, 9 playoff appearances(thanks to the wild card) and 2 World Series appearances (both losses). Some might call this competitive. I call it average at best or doing what you can with what you’ve got
Please compare them to actual competitors since Tampa became a team in 98; NYY, LAD, BOS, STL, PHI, HOU, SFG, ATL
This is a good player like rojas. I hate the dodgers but dont sleep on this move.
Michael Siani, we hardly knew ye!
I’ll never forget standing in my company’s conference room watching Andy Ibanez hit a base-clearing double off Josh Hader to send the 2024 Tigers into the real playoffs for the first time in a decade! Probably the highlight of his career.
I had it on the radio and just had a feeling he’d do it. Such an electric moment
The article above forgot to mention how clutch Ibanez has been as a pinch hitter. He is just waiting to hit against a LH pitcher, regardless of quality. He hits them all! Tigers found Jamal Jones this past year, and he was even better. With Veirling back healthy, and able to play 3B, there just wasn’t enough room on the bench.
I just managed to see that. Got home from work and turned the TV on seconds before he did it.
Was pretty awesome.
Decent pickup but I doubt he makes the active roster unless Andrew has a deal brewing that involves Kim.
well its a major league deal and hes out of options so…my guess is their bench will be Rojas, Ibanez,and either Call or another OF. Ibanez is a perfect platoon partner for Muncy. Rojas probably will platoon with Kim at 2B
I think another move is gonna happen.
I think they will add an outfielder
Kike Hernandez is still coming back, I imagine.
Ibanez doesn’t have any minor league options left so it seems they’re planning on him making the active roster.
Ibáñez is a solid bench piece for them. Still shouldn’t take them out of the market for Bichette.
It’s a numbers game. They still need an outfielder and have 26 guys without counting Fitzgerald who they claimed earlier today. I don’t believe the Bichette hype. That would put Edman in CF every day and I don’t think that is in the plan. Plenty of time to shake things up with a trade or a FA OF though.
I don’t think LA is the front-runner for Bichette either. But they’re still well positioned to strike if Bo’s market collapses.
And Edman wouldn’t have to be pushed into CF. I think Pages is more capable there and Fitzgerald and Alex Call still have options. Edman’s versatile enough that Roberts can find playing time for him. I could see Muncy settling in as a strong-side platoon guy.
His hit off Hader will be his legacy. Electric moment.
Buh-bye Kike’ !??
Kiké’s ETA isn’t until earliest May or June.
Or the deadline for post-season eligibility 🤣
This is a placeholder move until Kike is ready.
I like it. Effectively a Kike replacement. He hits lefties well, and can platoon with Kim (and give Muncy days off)
Hard for me to imagine Ibáñez replacing Kike; but, if that’s the plan, so be it. Would save over $10m, accounting for the CBT.
I liked Ibanez with my Tigers. This year, however, he didn’t do much. I wish him well. The Dodgers are interesting. I’ll be surprised if Andy sticks with them. He doesn’t seem like a Dodger.
Kiké’s a free agent. We don’t know what his salary will be, if any.
He’s also coming off multiple surgeries and won’t be ready until the all star break
But how much is deferred. (Cue the dodgers fans in 5.4.3.2
Brendan Donovan would have looked good in LA
Hold that thought. So far Donovan is still in St. Louis.
Good luck in LA Andy!
Low risk. Even if they cut him. Probably a 900k deal.
This move suggests to me that Edman won’t be asked to be ready for Opening Day. Kike won’t be ready for months – but he will sign after spring training g starts and he can go on the 60-man.
This makes more sense if Kim or Freeland is being traded – although Freeland has options. Because they still need an OF.
Don’t love Rushing, Call, Ibanez, Rojas bench.
But in Freidman we trust.
that’s pretty accurate to my mind Echo
This makes me interested to see what happens with Skubal after the arbitration hearing.
He’ll take his $19M and pitch in Detroit til the trade deadline.
He will pitch.
He will pitch well.
Lol
Make it loud make it proud!
Way to go, Andy! Good luck!
This would indicate that Enrique Hernandez’s 2nd tenure with the Dodgers is now ended
Not really. Kile is like the Terminator. He always comes back and is welcomed.
Kike!
Good depth signing, he’s not a great player but a steady versatile one. He got away from the Detroit circus, so it’s a huge improvement for Andy.
Dodgers continue to ruin baseball by making smart moves.