The Los Angeles Dodgers have successfully snuck outfielder Jack Suwinski through waivers, giving the club a strong depth option in the minors with the 2026 regular season less than three weeks away.
The 27-year-old Suwinski will begin the year at Triple-A. He’ll serve as a viable replacement if injuries or poor performance afflict any outfielders on the big-league club. His demotion opens up a 40-man roster spot, which could go to Spring Training standout Santiago Espinal, as Sonja Chen of MLB.com mentioned.
The Dodgers claimed Suwinski off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates in late February. In a corresponding move, utilityman Kike Hernandez was moved to the 60-day IL. Suwinski smashed 45 home runs in his first two seasons in Pittsburgh, but had fallen into a bench role in recent seasons. He got the majority of his work at Triple-A this past year.
Los Angeles Dodgers Outright Jack Suwinski, Clear Space for Santiago Espinal
Tommy Edman will begin the year on the IL as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery. Hernandez will be sidelined for an extended stretch following an elbow procedure. The health issues have opened up an opportunity for someone to claim the final roster spot. The current favorite is Espinal, a non-roster invitee to Spring Training who’s impressed so far. The veteran infielder was all but handed the job by manager Dave Roberts this week.
The Suwinski move doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as he was a long shot to make the big-league club. The fact that other teams didn’t jump in this time around, after already having a chance to grab him when the Pirates designated him for assignment, also doesn’t come as a shock. It’s a good piece of business for a Dodgers squad dealing with a handful of position player injuries heading into the new season.
Suwinski’s future path to the roster is likely as a platoon option with Andy Pages. The center fielder has hit just .240 in his career against right-handed pitching. Pages has tagged lefties for a .331 batting average. The Dodgers’ lone outfield option on the bench is Alex Call, another right-handed hitter. The left-handed Suwinski would seem like a nice complement to Pages, except for his defensive limitations. He’s struggled as a center fielder (-16 Defensive Runs Saved) and is likely a better fit for a corner outfield spot.
Can the Dodgers Fix Jack Suwinski?
Strikeout issues were the main reason Suwinski flamed out with the Pirates. He’s punched out at a 31% clip in the majors. Suwinski has walked at a strong 12.3% rate, so he’s not completely lost in terms of plate discipline. The power is also legit. The outfielder has racked up 57 home runs across 1,361 career plate appearances.
Suwinski’s breakout season came in 2023. He popped 26 home runs to go with 13 stolen bases as a regular in Pittsburgh’s lineup. The slugger delivered a 112 wRC+ despite striking out 32.2% of the time. He failed to outrun his swing-and-miss tendencies in recent years. Suwinski opened the 2025 campaign with the Pirates, but was booted to the minors before the end of April. He’ll need to find a way to make more contact if he’s going to stick at the big-league level.
Dodgers Stash Power-Hitting Outfielder in Minors