The Dodgers announced Tuesday that they’ve claimed outfielder Michael Siani off waivers from the Yankees. Infielder Andy Ibanez, who just signed a one-year $1.2MM deal with L.A. earlier in the offseason, has been designated for assignment to open a roster spot. As is relatively common around the league, they’ll now hope that guaranteed salary helps sneak Ibanez through waivers unclaimed, so he can be stashed in Triple-A as a depth piece.
To call the 2025-26 offseason a whirlwind for Siani, an over-slot fourth-round pick of the Reds back in 2018, would be an understatement. He began the offseason as a Cardinals but has since bounced to the Braves, Dodgers, Yankees and now back to the Dodgers via a series of DFAs and waiver claims.
With pitchers and catchers slated to report to spring training next week, Siani could finally have a path to stick on a 40-man roster. Once camp opens, teams will be able to place injured players on the 60-day IL, even if it’s not with the Dodgers. Los Angeles could need a 60-day spot for Brock Stewart, depending on his recovery from September shoulder surgery. That could give him a little bit of cushion, but if L.A. needs to open a 40-man spot and once again designates him, Siani could land with another team that has more 60-day IL candidates and thus more flexibility to keep him on the 40-man.
Siani, 26, has spent his entire big league career with the Reds and Cardinals. In parts of four major league seasons, he carries a tepid .221/.277/.270 batting line (58 wRC+). However, he’s drawn excellent grades for his defense and baserunning. He’s played 1014 major league innings in the outfield — primarily in center but with fleeting corner appearances mixed in — and been credited with outstanding marks from Statcast’s Outs Above Average (16) and from Defensive Runs Saved (7). He’s also gone 21-for-26 in stolen base attempts, giving him a success rate of nearly 81%.
Siani has a minor league option remaining, which helps to explain why teams continue to claim him; if he ever makes it to the season with one club, he’s a nice fourth or fifth outfielder who can be stashed in the minors without needing to pass through waivers.
The 32-year-old Ibanez signed a major league deal in mid-January. It’s rare to see a player sign as a free agent and then be designated for assignment three weeks later, but since he’s out of options and signed a low-cost deal, Ibanez always felt like a candidate for this sort of move. Other clubs might be reluctant to claim him when he’s making more than the league minimum and rosters around the game are generally at capacity. If he clears waivers, he’d have the right to reject a minor league assignment in favor of free agency, but doing so would mean forfeiting the remainder of any guaranteed money, so he’d surely accept.
Ibanez has played in parts of five major league seasons, all as a Ranger or Tiger. He’s a .254/.304/.389 hitter overall but a .280/.372/.452 hitter against left-handed pitching, specifically. Add in that he can capably handle first base, second base, third base or left field, and he’s a nice bench piece for a contender (particularly if he can be stashed as Triple-A depth). Ibanez did have a down season in 2025, even against left-handed pitching, slashing a roughly average .258/.311/.403 when holding the platoon advantage.
Since he signed as a free agent on a major league deal, Ibanez can’t be traded without his consent before June 15. He’ll very likely be placed on waivers at some point within the next five days, at which point he’d go through a 48-hour waiting period before learning whether he was claimed by another club or outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Does this mean that they have reached a deal with Kike Hernandez?
Kike will be out for a while, so they’ll wait closer to his return to get a deal done. Ibanez is probably his filler until then
Filler for the filler, as it turns out.
Unless he has miraculously healed and is ready for the start of spring training, I don’t Kike will re-sign until May/June. With the signing of Tucker, Edman goes back to the infield and it looks like Ibanez’s left out.
Assuming the Dodgers want him back, he will likely be signed as soon as camp opens, and immediately shuttled to the 60-day IL so he can take his rehab assignment with the Dodgers. If Ibanez clears waivers he competes with Siani for the utility role in Spring Training and the Dodgers get their pick.
Im tellin you Siani is the goods defensively
Man, that’s a tough existence. Either MiLB or MLB salary and the difference is HUGE.
Siani seems like he could be a guy that ends up being an All-Star with the Dodgers
More likely a postseason defensive replacement
More likely the hero for not touching the ball like Justin Dean.
The greatest play never made.
Honestly quite confused with this move. Signing Ibanez to a major league deal, then just DFA him for someone they previously had.
Somebody better pick up Ibanez and not let the Dodgers get away with this!
He was redundant with Rojas, Freeland, Kim & possible Keekay later.
AF makes insurance moves all the time so no confusion needed.
Read the article. It explains it.
Auraforce : it would serve the Dodgers right if the Yanks were to pluck Ibanez away, as his defensive versatility alone (the only two positions he hasn’t delved into yet are catching and pitching it seems)is enough of an asset beyond his decent platoon splits with the lumber. I fondly remember another Ibanez who became a NYY great! Ra-ul!! What’s in a name!
Dodgers just flexing at this point
The team that ends up picking him up has to pay his contract. I don’t think any team is going to pay a depth piece that kind of money. Will be surprised if he gets claimed, and pretty sure he’ll just accept the assignment and not risk losing out on the money.
it’s literally $420,000 over the Major League Minimum of $780,000! Plenty of teams pay that much for their bench players.
While Ibanez isn’t a slugger, he’s useful to a team that is heavily left-handed, like the Mariners — all four of their starting infielders bat left-handed. Ibanez’s career OPS of .778 vs. left-handed pitching makes him a great fit for Seattle.
It’s not the $$$ but the roster spot and I doubt anyone will grab him, lose someone else AND pay extra $$$ at this juncture. He’ll probably clear and accept the assignment. The Dodgers used a few extra $$$ to secure a player for insurance.
Mariners are ruining baseball.
This guy is perfect for Seattle. Last bat for their bench to spell their entirely LH infield.
perfect fit,. even if they don’t have much money left in the budget, any team could afford Ibanez. Hopefully SEA will claim him.
Also hoping they re-up with Mitch Garver, at something between $3-5M. Still unsigned.
It’s like deja vu all over again.
It is Feb. 3rd
LA just burning money.
Infielder Andy Ibanez, who just signed a one-year $1.2MM deal with L.A.
Never seen an organization just dole out the riches although 1.2 ain’t what it used to be but this team pays over 162M just for having a high payroll.
That is what that smell was…burning money.
doling out the riches? It’s practically pennies — $420,000 above the Major League minimum salary ($780,000) that any team has to pay for a rookie with no experience or pedigree.
Fortunately for Mr. Walter, he doesn’t spend his own money on the Dodgers.
Clever way to get around the 40-man roster limit for teams with endless resources. Logical endpoint for this will be a few AAA teams with payrolls rivaling some of the poorest MLB teams.
Ibanez will get claimed by another team, probably multiple teams. it’s literally $420,000 above the MLB minimum salary!
He’s out of options, so it’s not just paying him $420K more than minimum, the team who claims him would also have to commit a 26 man roster spot to him and can’t demote to AAA without a DFA where they could end up on the hook for the extra money.
If he could be optioned then yeah I would agree he’s likely claimed, but it’s not just the money it’s the money and lack of roster flexibility
As opposed to figuratively?
Relatively speaking, most likely.
When I use Facebook I often ask myself, what is the Meta for?
They also have Gibson, Fender and Gretsch down on the farm to go with Ibanez.
I hear PRS is holding out for a better deal.
Friedman replaces a can of corn on the shelf for a can of chili. What the Dodgers need is to bring Justin Turner back to at least platoon with Muncy.
No
No minor leagues teams pay the players salary.. All players & Minor league coaches are pay by there Parents club. period…
Minor league teams only required to pay there workers, and bills.. They have nothing to do with players money because they wouldn’t be able to afford it..
Feel like this is a Reds pickup
NO! hopefully Seattle swoops in and pulls off a trade with the dodgers for Ibanez.
No trade necessary, they can just claim him and assume the contract. I highly doubt they will. Even though just slightly over a million, the Mariners are pretty cheap and watch every penny.
LA intended Andy Ibanez to be a minor league callup if/when he regained his skill hitting RH’s.
Some Dodger exec, one who matters, believes Ibanez can still and will antidote one of Mason Miller’s offerings at the exact wrong moment for the Padres to permanently gut San Diego’s feeble attempt to take the West in 2026.
However, if some other team who hadn’t paid attention to 2025 Andy Ibanez wants to grab that contract, so be it. LA will find another Padres antidoter.
The dodgers are ruining baseball again
Yes, agreed that Ibanez would def be quite useful to any team with a lefty heavy lineup. The Mariners were already mentioned so I’ll add that the Yankees also are also lefty heavy. Cashman: if you’re reading these comments spurn LA and give the kid a shot in pinstripes!
Red Sox make sense as well. Ibanez can play both 2B/3B/LF. All the projected starters for those positions are left-handed hitters.
RedSox8: indeed both of THE RIVALRY opponents could benefit by adding Ibanez. We shall see if either of the ignorant GM’s get a clue before losing out on his services btw, IKF is also looking for a place to call home. He offers the same defensive positioning versatility and is a good right- handed platoon option. His moniker : the Hawaiian Hustle says it all😉
I was a big fan of him with the Tigers in 2024. Last year he kind of took a step back, albeit with seemingly less playing time. I also doubt anyone claims him because of the roster implications. Good depth piece to have.