The Dodgers are claiming outfielder Jack Suwinski off waivers, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The Pirates designated Suwinski for assignment earlier this week to open up a 40-man roster spot for Marcell Ozuna.
The 27-year-old Suwinski has struggled mightily over the past two years, following a breakout 2023 campaign. The outfielder began last season on the big-league roster, but didn’t make it through April. He ended up tallying 59 games with the Pirates and 56 games at Triple-A. Suwinski mashed in the minors to the tune of a 150 wRC+. He managed just a 55 wRC+ in 178 MLB plate appearances.
With the Pirates adding outfielders Jhostynxon Garcia and Jake Mangum in separate trades this offseason, plus free agent signing Ryan O’Hearn potentially spending time on the grass, Suwinski was a long shot to contribute with the Pirates. The Ozuna addition locked up the DH spot, further limiting the chance for Suwinski to make the club. He’ll head to the Dodgers and look to rebuild his value in a different organization.
As good as Suwinski was in 2023, his swing-and-miss tendencies suggested the production was unsustainable. He hit 26 home runs and chipped in 13 steals in his first full season in the big leagues, but it came with a 32% strikeout rate. That was after a rookie year that saw him swat 19 home runs in 372 plate appearances while striking out at a 30.6% clip. Suwinski has walked at a strong 12.3% rate as a big leaguer, so he’s got the three true outcomes covered. He just hasn’t done enough of the home run part of the equation in recent seasons.
The Dodgers are set in the outfield with Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages, and Kyle Tucker locked into everyday roles. The right-handed Pages has been much better against lefties (.831 OPS) than righties (.722 OPS) in his career, so perhaps there’s a platoon opportunity there, but his glove is tough to take out of the lineup. Suwinski has put up -16 Defensive Runs Saved in his career as a center fielder, so he’s unlikely to be a fit in that role. Pushing Alex Call for the fourth outfielder gig is his best hope to make the roster.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
Huge
What’s huge will be the number of strikeouts Jack will make this season along with his annual batting average of close to the Mendoza line
There’s like 3 teams that I never rule out a player breaking out or rebounding with, regardless of how bad they were before. The Dodgers are one of those teams.
Who are the other 2 teams? Rays and Brewers?
Yes ! & Yes !!
Yeah, the Rays definitley, and the Pirates haven’t had very much luck with their players going to Milwaukee.
Is this acquisition to get the other teams to stop complaining about how good the Dodgers are?
Im sure he’ll be phenomenal now that hes away from Pirates
When the Dodgers redevelop him back into a 25+ HR hitter, just a little more salt in the wound.
The next Max Muncy.
That’ll be easier than straightening out his mechanics and cutting down his incredible strike out rate. That is, having power isn’t his problem
I hope the kid turns it around. By all accounts, he’s just a good man, great teammate and incredibly hard worker. He just needs someone to get him straightened out.
2nd career could be lawyer
Too bad for him as 90% of his salary is now automatically deferred.
clever
Yea really too bad for him because now he has to pay California taxes. Thats like half his salary.
Name one currant baseball town that is better, weather wise than California ?
It’s too bad he is now a Dodger.
Gooseberry, Oregon?
Players love playing for the Dodgers. I assume he is happy to join them.
I have just as good a chance of playing for the Dodgers as Suwinski.
Eeeeeeeeasy now Rickey. He is actually in ST in a uniform. His odds may be low but I give him a definite edge over your chances!
Well he is 40 years younger than me. Still a close call
He’s out of options and if he’s not on the major league roster when ST breaks he’ll be a free agent
The new project! CT, JT, Muncy 2.0
Outhouse to penthouse.
Oh, well that’s something. Best of luck! I wonder if they’ll try to sneak him through waivers as well?
Why are they ruining baseball?
To make you and specifically only you cry about it and I for one enjoy this…..even though I’m a Braves fan muhahahahaha.
Because they can.
Has no options. Will be gone by March 24.
So much easier to clear options with rosters basically set. If anybody else wanted him, why would have he slipped to the 30th possible team?
Errrr, clear WAIVERS
If he produces in the next few weeks he will be claimed when waived. If he doesn’t produce he’ll be cut.
He won’t be “cut”.
He’ll be run through waivers. He probably will clear waivers. And get sent to Triple-A.
He won’t get “cut”.
HE IS OUT OF OPTIONS
what part of that don’t you understand?
He can refuse a minor league assignment
Can’t say Suwinski without “Win” the Dodgers obviously know this that’s why they picked him up. It’s what winning teams do obviously.
Exhibit #1 in the Dodger’s defense against “ruining baseball” charges.
🤣
40-man roster.
Is this a defensive upgrade over Siani? It doesn’t make any sense to me that they keep them both.
He just needs to get into 1 game and he will qualify for a ring.
I am not totally familiar with waiver priority but in wondering if this means the Dodgers were the only team to put in a claim seeing as they are the World Series champions or the order was decided by overall record? Still means he went unclaimed by the lesser teams.
Yes it means all the other teams passed.
I guess all the other teams said Pass!
How cool is it that the Pirates adding an outfielder named Ghost-Nixon Garcia?!?