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By Nelson Espinal
Contributing Sports Reporter
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The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed infielder Ryan Fitzgerald off waivers, adding him from the Minnesota Twins, according to team insider Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
Fitzgerald was designated for assignment a week ago by the Twins to make room for Eric Wagaman, who came over from the Miami Marlins.
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The Dodgers created a roster spot when they traded veteran outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Miami Marlins, giving them the flexibility to claim a player off waivers.
Los Angeles got minor league pitcher Adriano Marrero in the Ruiz deal that started a chain reaction that led to the Dodgers landing Fitzgerald.
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The Marlins designated Wagaman and traded him to the Twins to make room for Ruiz, leading to Fitzgerald getting waived and falling into the Dodgers' lap.
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At the age of 32, Fitzgerald got his MLB debut in June after spending years in the minor leagues. During his time with the Twins, he hit .196/.302/.457 in 24 games, lining up across the infield at each position.
In Triple-A, he was notably more productive, hitting .277/.367/.469 last season, showing that there could be some progress made if he gets more repetitions at the major league level.
The Dodgers tend to value utility players highly, keeping multiple on the 40-man roster to fill in for any injuries or rest that may be needed over a long season.
Los Angeles has one of the oldest infielders in baseball, and to keep everyone healthy, manager Dave Roberts will likely employ a good rotation schedule, giving Fitzgerald a chance to play a good deal.
Tommy Edman, Hyeseong Kim, Miguel Rojas, and Alex Freeland, along with pending free agent Enrique Hernandez, make up a rotating case of infielders who can play across the infield.
Edman, Hernandez, and Kim also figure into the outfield rotation as needed.
The Dodgers are aiming for a three-peat, hoping to win their third straight World Series in 2026, and they will need 33-year-old Mookie Betts, 35-year-old Max Muncy, and 36-year-old Freddie Freeman healthy and ready for a grueling run deep into October.
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