The Dodgers’ roster churn has been relentless this season, and two familiar names who passed through Los Angeles are now trying to carve out second lives with National League rivals.
Los Angeles has already cycled through 29 pitchers this year, a number that reflects a deliberate plan to keep high-leverage relievers from getting burned out and to give injured starters time to heal. The position-player side has been steadier, with 22 different players used. Even with Tommy Edman already expected to miss time while recovering from offseason surgery, the front office still hoped that number would stay lower.
Instead, injuries to catcher Will Smith and Edman opened the door for short-term help. Catcher Chuckie Robinson and infielder Santiago Espinal both got extended chances as fill-ins, but neither lasted in the organization.
Robinson was released from his minor league deal on Aug. 12, and the Dodgers brought in veteran catcher Chadwick Tromp to replace him at Triple-A. Less than a week later, Robinson landed with the Atlanta Braves on a minor league contract.
Espinal’s path has been even more winding. After the Dodgers designated him for assignment in June, he has already spent time with two other organizations. His latest stop came on Aug. 20, when he signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Robinson, 31, has appeared in five games for Triple-A Gwinnett and is 4-for-14 with a double and two strikeouts. He and Maverick Handley are functioning as the Braves’ de facto third catchers, and Atlanta just swept the Dodgers.
That’s not the worst place for a backup catcher to land, especially with the Sept. 1 deadline looming for postseason eligibility. The Dodgers may have preferred Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia over Robinson and Eliezer Alfonzo Jr., but there remains a slim possibility Robinson could face them again in October, this time wearing a Braves uniform.
Espinal’s latest stop has started a little more quietly. After signing with the Texas Rangers on July 2, he played 11 games for Triple-A Round Rock and hit .262/.333/.310 before being released on July 28. With Arizona, he has gone 3-for-12 with a double in his first three games.
If the Dodgers do see Espinal again, it would likely come in 2026 - and only if the Diamondbacks make the postseason. Arizona is currently one game behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card spot.
In Other News...
Braves Fans May See Ronald Acuna Jrs Dodgers Mistake Differently Now
Ronald Acuna Jr.s recent series against the Los Angeles Dodgers was one of those stretches where every miscue seemed to get magnified, especially for a player who usually draws attention for the right reasons. The Braves right fielder also went through it at the plate, but the moment that stood out most came on defense, when a hesitation helped Shohei Ohtani move up to second base and left Atlanta searching for an explanation after the game.
Walt Weiss offered one, saying Acuna paused because first baseman Matt Olson was not covering first base, which created the kind of split-second confusion that can happen on a busy infield play. Weiss made clear the blame was not all on Acuna, a subtle but important distinction for a Braves team trying to sort out a rough sequence without turning one mistake into a bigger story than it needs to be. [Read more 🡒]
Braves May Finally Cut Ties With A Left Field Mistake
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Now the Braves are staring at a familiar offseason question in left field, and Profars name is suddenly at the center of it. The club needs more certainty in a spot that has not settled the way it hoped, and there is growing talk that Atlanta could simply move on rather than carry the baggage and uncertainty into another year. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Make A Telling Lineup Call On Ronald Acua Jr
Walt Weiss made a notable lineup shuffle Tuesday by sliding Ha-Seong Kim back into the Braves starting group for the first time since Aug. 7 and giving Ronald Acua Jr. a night out of the order. It was the kind of call that speaks to both the urgency of the stretch run and the need to reward a player who had just snapped out of a rough spell in dramatic fashion.
Acua has been trying to find his rhythm again since coming off the injured list, but the timing has not fully come back yet and the results have reflected it, with a .188 average over 28 games. Kim, meanwhile, turned a 0-for-27 slide into a walk-off moment in the previous game, and that was enough to earn another look while the Braves keep sorting out a lineup that still has to balance patience with production. [Read more 🡒]