The Dodgers have finally made their first offseason move, and it comes in the form of a waiver claim. Los Angeles is bringing in Christian Cairo, a former Mets infielder who was designated for assignment by New York six days ago on November 3rd.
It’s a low-risk add for a club that has been quiet since the offseason opened more than a week ago. With room available on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers can slide Cairo in without much trouble for the moment.
Cairo is 25 and brings defensive flexibility. He can handle shortstop, third base, and second base, and he bats right-handed. The infielder was a fourth-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft and originally came out of the Cleveland Guardians system.
His path has bounced around quite a bit since then. The Braves selected him in the Rule 5 Draft, but he didn’t last long there before being returned to the Guardians.
After the 2025 season, Cairo elected free agency and signed a one-year deal with the Phillies. He spent time in the minors with Philadelphia before the club designated him for assignment in September.
The Mets then claimed him, only to move on from him less than a month later.
What the Dodgers are getting is depth and some speed. Cairo has stolen 25 or more bases in each of his last three minor league seasons, and his profile is built more around contact and movement than power. Last year, he hit .230/.381/.300, and in 2025 he improved slightly to .237/.338/.331.
The power hasn’t been there. He has never hit more than six home runs in a minor league season. But he also doesn’t strike out much, which gives him a chance to grow into a useful contact hitter who can work walks and run a little.
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