​Diamondbacks sign former Blue Jays, Dodgers All-Star infielder with .651 OPS originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed a former All-Star infielder from the Toronto Blue Jays. According to an announcement from Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate, the Reno Aces, the NL West club has signed Santiago Espinal to a minor-league contract. Espinal, 31, has been a free agent for the past three weeks after his release from the Texas Rangers. The Diamondbacks are his third team of the season. Diamondbacks sign Santiago EspinalEspinal, a second baseman who can also shift to shortstop and third base, began the season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit .268/.276/.375 with one home run in 36 games. Espinal struck out just eight times but only walked once in 60 trips to the plate with the Dodgers. MORE: Mariners’ Cal Raleigh on track to hit fewest HR after 60+ homer season in MLB historyThe Dodgers cut ties with the Dominican Republic native after Tommy Edman returned from the injured list. The best season of Espinal’s career was in 2022 with the Blue Jays. He earned an All-Star selection and posted his second consecutive season with 2.4 bWAR. He has not surpassed 0.3 WAR in a season since. After Nolan Arenado’s recent left intercostal (trunk) strain, the D-Backs could have brought Espinal in to serve as third base depth. More MLB news:Brewers World Series odds look a bit bleak with MLB HR historyDodgers update on Shohei Ohtani pitching again has major MVP implicationsDodgers and Mets predicted to be only teams active in Tarik Skubal’s free agent marketDiamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll joins only Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio in wild MLB historyCardinals’ Joshua Baez just did something never done before in MLB history with 3-HR debut