In a bold move that’s sure to shake up the infield dynamics, the Oakland Athletics have swooped in to claim versatile infielder/outfielder Andy Ibañez off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers. But here’s where it gets controversial: the Dodgers had just signed Ibañez to a one-year, $1.2MM deal last month, only to attempt sneaking him through waivers to stash him in Triple-A as a depth option. Instead, the A’s have not only intercepted this plan but also willingly taken on that $1.2MM contract, adding a left-handed power bat to their roster. Francys Romero of BeisbolFR broke the news, highlighting the A’s strategic move to bolster their infield mix (https://x.com/francysromeroFR/status/2019836041662984449).
At 32, Ibañez is out of minor league options, which made the Dodgers’ initial low-cost signing seem like a calculated risk. Given their crowded infield and bench, it was always plausible they’d try to pass him through waivers to retain him as non-roster depth. And this is the part most people miss: Ibañez lacks the service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency while keeping his guaranteed money. Had he cleared waivers, he likely would’ve accepted the assignment. But now, he’s headed to West Sacramento, where he’ll call the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park home.
The A’s have a glaring question mark at third base, and Ibañez will be in the mix for at-bats there while offering reliable backup across the diamond. Over parts of five major league seasons, he’s slashed .254/.304/.389, though his numbers against lefties are particularly impressive: .280/.372/.452. While he’ll compete with Darell Hernaiz (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernada04.shtml), Brett Harris (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harribr02.shtml), Max Schuemann (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schuema01.shtml), and Max Muncy (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/muncyma02.shtml) for playing time at third, Ibañez brings a wealth of experience with 5,300 professional innings at second base, 724 at first base, 242 at shortstop, and 186 in the outfield corners. Here’s the kicker: he’s the only candidate in that group without minor league options, making him a near-lock for the Athletics’ Opening Day roster.
This move raises intriguing questions: Did the Dodgers underestimate the A’s willingness to take on Ibañez’s contract? And how will his left-handed bat impact the team’s offensive strategy? What do you think? Is this a smart pickup for the A’s, or did they overpay for a depth piece? Let us know in the comments below. More updates to come as this story develops.
View Comments (9)
